What did John Thornton do? 20-year-old arrested as Keystone Heights shooting leaves one dead

John Thornton, a 20-year-old man has been arrested by the Clay County Sherriff's Office for the alleged murder of one man and for injuring a woman. The two victims, who remain unidentified, were 23 years old and 21 years old, respectively. Authorities have reported that Thornton wielded a shotgun that he used in the shooting.

On June 24, 2023, at around 1 am, the Sherriff's Office received a 911 call regarding a shooting at State Road 100 in Keystone Heights, Florida. When they arrived at the scene, they found an unidentified man lying dead in the driveway with multiple gunshot wounds. Upon entering the house, they found an injured woman, who was rushed to the hospital.

The woman helped the authorities identify the culprit as John Thornton, who was then apprehended and arrested by the Bradford County Sherriff's office the same night.

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John Thornton arrived at the victims' residence to see his ex-girlfriend

Upon further investigation, the Clay County Sherriff's Office revealed that the two unidentified victims, who resided together, occasionally allowed a friend of theirs to stay with them. The said friend happened to be John Thornton's former girlfriend. Thornton arrived at the residence of the two victims in order to see his ex-girlfriend.

Throton's ex, who remains unidentified, was staying with the duo as she was allegedly a victim of domestic abuse. Upon his arrival, the two victims confronted Thornton and asked him to leave their residence. He did not heed their demand and tried to re-enter the premises. He then fired rounds from his shotgun, which left one victim fatally wounded, while the other was critically injured.

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The female victim helped authorities identify John Thornton as the suspect

Since the female victim survived, she was able to help authorities identify the accused as John Thornton. Officials in turn immediately alerted local authorities. This ultimately allowed the Bradford County Sherriff's Office to identify the accused's vehicle and arrest him.

“I would like to extend my condolences to the families of the victims and I hope the victim who is still hospitalized makes a fast and full recovery. The victims were trying to help a friend and sadly became the target of the suspect. Domestic violence is a real issue and I encourage individuals who are victims of domestic violence or know someone who is to immediately contact the sheriff’s office at 904-264-6512. Reports of domestic violence can also be submitted anonymously through the SaferWatch App,” Sherriff Michelle Cook said.

Currently, Thornton is being detained at Clay County Jail. He could be charged with second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder for his actions.