Jacksonville, FL — A police shooting and chase on Jacksonville’s Westside involved a woman who was carjacked by a bank robbery suspect, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
We first told you Tuesday that officers following tips from the community had located a man suspected of two bank robberies over two days. The suspect- now identified as 28-year-old Michael Harris- got out of his car and in to a small silver vehicle, which had a woman driving. JSO says the suspect vehicle then led police on a roughly two-mile chase, which ended when the suspect vehicle ran a stop sign and was hit by a civilian car.
Since that time, police have been investigating how the woman driving the small silver car Harris got in to was involved in what happened. JSO has now determined she was the victim of a carjacking and abduction by Harris- and she tells our partner Action News Jax that the entire ordeal was terrifying.
“I’m dead, I’m dead. Bullets are flying out, bullets are flying in,” she said.
Through the chase, JSO says Harris was shooting out of the car. One of the bullets struck Officer Jeremy Mason in the face, but he continued to pursue despite his injury. Mason and a detective ultimately shot Harris after the crash, when he refused to put down his weapon and fired at them again, according to JSO. Harris died of his injuries.
JSO says Mason is in stable condition. The carjacking victim is still trying to understand what happened as well, saying it doesn’t feel real, and she’s questioning why this had to happen to her.
“I’ve never been so happy to kiss a ground in my life. I’ve never been so happy to just be alive,” she says.
Police now also say the gun used by Harris had been stolen out of Taylor County, FL in 2012. Harris has several prior arrests and convictions, including for burglary and dealing in stolen property.
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