JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The family of a 16-year-old boy who was fatally shot at a party in Mandarin in December is urging the shooter to come forward. Derek Pitts was shot in the parking lot of the Coopers Hawk Apartment homes on Old St Augustine Road on Dec. 30, and he died at the hospital from his injuries. There is currently a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest, including $3,000 from First Coast Crime Stoppers and $7,000 from the Pitts family.
Pitts, also known as “Dibbs”, was a junior at Beachside High School and the oldest grandson in a large family. His family and friends describe him as having a vibrant spirit, being an avid Philly sports fan, and loving baseball, football, cars, and shopping with his sister. He was known for his sense of humor and his desire to make people laugh.
According to police, a fight broke out at the party between two large groups, and someone pulled out a gun and started shooting. At least 10 shots were fired, and Pitts was hit by one. His family is desperate for answers and closure, knowing that the person responsible for his death could still be out there, potentially harming someone else. They are urging anyone with information to come forward and speak up.
Pitts’ aunt, Bernadette Howarth, expressed the family’s desperation for answers, emphasizing that not knowing who did this and the possibility of that person still being at large is extremely difficult. She also mentioned that her nephew would have turned 17 years old next Thursday. The family is pleading for anyone with information to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office by phone at 904-630-0500, by email at JSOcrimetips@jacksheriff.org, or via Crimestoppers at 866-845-TIPS.