Family says father killed in Jacksonville police shooting was inspecting unmarked JSO car when officers opened fire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Action News Jax has obtained surveillance video appearing to show the fatal police shooting of Justin Reed, 34, on Wednesday night in Panama Park.

Reed leaves behind a fiancé and four children.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says officers and detectives in the Violence Reduction unit were parked inside a vehicle on the 500 block of East 63rd Street, investigating a gang in the area.

READ: Jacksonville officers shoot, kill armed man near Panama Park

“They were there waiting for another group of detectives to join them, while they conducted an investigation for a local gang in the area,” said JSO Chief of Investigations, T.K. Waters.

In a news briefing after the shooting, Waters said Reed walked out to the car where officers were parked holding a large semiautomatic rifle.

Waters went on to say Reed hit the front of the officers' car with the butt-end of the gun and pointed the gun at the officers inside.

“The officers exited the vehicle and fired several shots, and struck that suspect,” said Waters.

Waters said Reed was taken to a local hospital, where he died.

Surveillance video appears to show Reed approach an unmarked car while holding an object, hit the right front of the car with the object, and point the object at the car. The video goes on to show officers exit the vehicle and begin shooting. An unmarked vehicle was not mentioned in JSO’s briefing.

Reed’s loved ones say he went outside with the gun to investigate the unfamiliar car parked in front of his home.

Reed’s fiancé, Shakeisha Watson, was too grief-stricken to speak on-camera.

Family friend, Adria Roberts, and Jacksonville activist, Ben Frazier, say Watson and Reed were supposed to get married next month.

“[Reed] was a wonderful and nurturing man,” said Roberts. “He was a great father, and he was just trying to protect his family. That’s a man’s job to protect, provide and pursue. He was just trying to protect his family.”

“[Reed] was taking care of his family, his significant other, Ms. Watson, standing here next to me right now,” said Frazier. “Concerned about the welfare of his woman and his children. Love for his children. Wanting to take care of his family, and he sees a car out front. Doesn’t know who’s in the car. Doesn’t know what they want. He investigates to make a determination, and low and behold, it turns out to be undercover police officers. No way for him to make that determination. He was not the enemy.”

JSO says it was the first officer-involved shootings for G.A. Taylor and M.L. Mullis. Investigators tell us Taylor’s been with JSO for four years, while Mullis has served at JSO for three.

Action News Jax has requested the concise officer histories of Taylor and Mullis, and any body camera video that may exist in the case.

We also sent several questions to JSO on Thursday, asking if officers identified themselves prior to the shooting, if there was any indication Reed knew officers were inside the vehicle prior to the shooting, and whether Reed was a suspect in JSO’s investigation at the time.

“… As this continues to be an active investigation and your questions point to specifics of the investigation/incident, there is no additional information that we are able to provide at this time,” said a JSO spokesperson in a statement.

Reed’s background revealed many local arrests, most of which were on drug charges.

The State Attorney’s Office (SAO) confirmed Thursday it is investigating the shooting.

Action News Jax Law and Safety expert, Dale Carson, explained how investigators at the SAO will unpack the case, from both sides.

“Someone points a weapon at you, ‘What are you supposed to do?’ would be the policing argument. The citizens' argument is, ‘Wait a minute, there’s a car parked there for a protracted period of time, a long period of time, I am within my right to check and see who it is and why they’re there,’” said Carson.

Action News Jax will continue to follow this story as more details become available.

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