Who is Ryan Christopher Palmeter? Jacksonville Dollar General gunman's identity explored amid racist manifesto revelation

In a racially motivated incident, Ryan Christopher Palmeter, a 21-year-old White Clay County resident, killed three Black Americans at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday, August 26.

Authorities said that on the day of the shooting, Palmeter, armed with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and a Glock handgun, drove 15 miles from his home where he lived with his parents in Clay County to a Dollar Store in Jacksonville. On Saturday afternoon, the gunman then opened fire at a Dollar General located in a predominantly Black neighborhood of Jacksonville.

The gunman reportedly fatally shot three people before killing himself at the scene. The victims were Angela Michelle Carr, 52, Anolt Joseph “A.J.” Laguerre Jr., 19, and Jarrald De’Shaun Gallion, 29.

Authorities said that before arriving at the Dollar store, the suspect was spotted at nearby Edward Waters University, the first historically Black college in Florida. Plameter reportedly left the university after he was confronted by security officers.

Establishing a potential motive in the horrific incident, authorities, citing a hate-fuelled manifesto left behind by the gunman, said that he simply loathes Black Americans.

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What we know about the suspect Ryan Christopher Palmeter

Ryan Christopher Palmeter reportedly did not have an extensive social media presence other than a Twitter account that appeared to belong to him. In Ryan Christopher Palmeter's X account, formerly known as Twitter, he said that he graduated from Oakleaf High School with a 3.5 GPA.

In the account where the last post was dated 2019, he posted an acceptance letter to Flagler College and said, “Looking forward to a bright career in Business Administration!”

He also described himself as certified in “Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator CS6 and Adobe InDesign, and drinks too many Arizona products.”

In a press conference, Sheriff T.K. Waters said that there were no red flags raised in connection to the suspect prior to the shooting to suggest that he was planning a racially motivated massacre.

The suspect, who lived with his parents in Clay County, had no criminal record and was reportedly involved in a 2016 domestic incident at his home when he was a teenager. However, the call did not result in an arrest. In 2017, the suspect was temporarily committed to emergency health services for undisclosed mental health issues.

A report in Jacksonville citing court records said that Ryan Christopher Palmeter received a speeding ticket in Jacksonville on June 28, 2023. The suspect was reportedly driving a 2004 Honda Element on Old Middleburg Road at a speed of 41 mph with a 35 mph limit.

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Ryan Christopher Palmeter left a manifesto that revealed his "hate" for black Americans

In a press conference, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said that the suspect Ryan Christopher Palmeter left several worrying manifestos to his parents, media and federal agents that detailed the “shooter’s disgusting ideology of hate.”

In a press conference on Sunday, detailing the Jacksonville shooting Sheriff T.K. Waters said that a gunman identified as 21-year-old Ryan Christopher Palmeter, wearing a tactical vest, mask and blue latex gloves, arrived at the store on Saturday afternoon. The suspect then killed the first victim, identified as Angela Carr, who was in a car in the parking lot. The gunman then entered the store and shot and killed employee, AJ Laguerre before killing customer Jarrald Gallion.

Authorities said Palmeter, who did not have a criminal record other than minor infractions, fired at a woman before missing her at the store. The gunman reportedly sent a text to his father to look at his computer before turning the gun on himself during the shooting. The suspect's father, who found the gunman's manifesto, then notified law enforcement officials.