Local

Police: Man fatally shoots girlfriend, abandons children at shopping center

PORT ORANGE, Fla. — A 35-year-old man abandoned his two children at an Ormond Beach shopping center late Friday after he fatally shot his girlfriend at her Port Orange apartment, the Port Orange Police Department said.

Jamal Kareem Davis told detectives he had tried to kill himself when he crashed into a tree at about 11:30 p.m. in Ormond Beach, Port Orange police Officer Evan Doyle said.

Davis told paramedics that moments earlier he had left his two children -- ages 1 and 2 -- at a shopping center in Ormond Beach, Doyle said.

Not long after, officers found the children at the Renaissance Center, a shopping plaza on South Nova Road.

When officers weren’t able to reach the children’s mother, 24-year-old Justine Clawson, they contacted the woman’s father. Clawson’s father said he would pick up his daughter so that she could pick up the children.

The man found his daughter’s body shortly before 1:15 a.m. Saturday in her residence at the Victoria Gardens apartment complex on Dunlawton Avenue, Doyle said.

Paramedics pronounced Clawson dead 15 minutes later.

“[Davis] stated that he and Justine Clawson were arguing over relationship/child custody issues when the argument became physical,” Doyle said. “Davis stated he used a 9mm handgun to shoot the victim at least two times.”

The children are being cared for by the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Davis was charged with first-degree murder and two counts of child neglect. He was jailed without bail.

Anyone who has more information incident is asked to contact Port Orange police Detective Chris Bingham at 386-506-5895 or cbingham@port-orange.org.