A San Jose teenager was rushed to the hospital after surviving a gunshot wound possibly stemming from a drive-by near Old Kings Road South on Sunday afternoon. According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the teen victim Manrique Lopez-Salas was found in front of an apartment complex near several shell casings.   

Additionally, two apartment units were hit during the shooting. One belonging to Lopez-Salas and his family. Fortunately, no one was home at the time of the incident. Due to a language barrier, the family’s neighbor spoke with police to translate their concerns.

“They went shopping, to buy groceries when this happened. But when they came back, they left because they were scared,” he said. Lopez-Salas’ works most of the day while his family is left alone at home.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded to the shooting in the 7100 block of Old Kings Road South at 1:15 p.m. Once authorities arrived, they discovered a male in his late teens who was visibly suffering from a gunshot wound.

As a result, the victim was taken to a local San Jose hospital where he was treated for his injuries, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

Even though Lopez-Salas is expected to make a full recovery, the aftermath of the shooting has plagued both him and residents at the apartment complex with heightened concerns about the safety of their neighborhood.

Consequently, he is now afraid to leave his wife and children at home, due to the uncertainty that a tragic incident like this won’t happen again. While Lopez-Salas is thankful for today, he’s fearful of tomorrow.

A motive and suspect(s) are still unclear; however, authorities believe it was a drive-by. Contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500 if you have any information regarding this shooting.