During a confrontation with a burglary suspect, who was slain in the exchange, a deputy with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was shot in the face in Northwest Jacksonville on Friday night, according to the authorities.
According to Sheriff T.K. Waters, five JSO deputies responded to a reported burglary and found a potential suspect. However, the guy was uncooperative and opened fire at the deputies. He said that each of the responding cops opened fire, killing the man.
The injured officer was sent to the hospital after suffering non-life-threatening wounds.
Sheriff Waters remarked at a press conference on Friday night, “I feel happy that we didn’t lose an officer today.”
In his opening remarks to the news conference, the sheriff said that officers frequently expect to get home safely and that this incident was a good illustration of one of those nights.
There is no other further testament like what happened tonight, Waters said. “People believe it’s a cliché that police just want to go home safely every night,” he added.
#JSO is currently working an officer involved incident in the area of Hardee Street and 3rd Street. Please stay out of the area and shelter in place of in the immediate area. More to follow. pic.twitter.com/tEKuS19fnJ
— Jax Sheriff's Office (@JSOPIO) January 21, 2023
According to Waters, the investigation into the shooting began at 5:30 p.m. when authorities got reports of a suspected burglary at home “quite close” to the scene of the incident. According to Waters, the distance between the gunshot and the original residence was “approximately two blocks.”
As they investigated the break-in, the police discovered a suspect and a suspect’s car on the 1800 block of Hardee Street, he added.
Waters observed that the guy was dozing off in the back passenger seat.
He said, “They approached the vehicle, spoke to a resident of the house nearby, and discovered who was inside the vehicle.
Police were able to locate the home where some of the stolen goods were, according to the sheriff. Returning to the vehicle, the five JSO officers devised a strategy and discovered the weapon on the top. The weapon was taken out.
They decided to open the door but not enter so they could talk to him [the male suspect] instead, Waters said.
He said, “Seven or eight different officers asked him to show them his hands on separate occasions. “They requested that he exit the vehicle as well.”
Sheriff says the suspect had several past dealings with local law enforcement. Sheriff says they will work to get body cam video out quickly as possible (after it goes through process of being reviewed by State Atty's Office). @ActionNewsJax
— Tenikka Smith Hughes (@TenikkaANjax) January 21, 2023
According to Waters, he refused, requested that the police not shine the beam directly into his face, and then fired at the policemen “for an unclear reason.”
The cop had a slight left-side face wound from the gunshot.
The sheriff stated that “officers returned fire, all five of them, striking him multiple times [and] killing him at the spot.”
The reason the gun was on the roof was not disclosed by the police.
According to office procedure, all five officers were placed on administrative leave, the sheriff explained. He expressed his “gratitude” for his officers’ safety and well-being.
The event is being looked into by the JSO and the State Attorney’s Office.
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