Jacksonville, FL — An officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is on administrative leave after shooting and killing an armed robbery suspect in the Mandarin area.
The Sheriff’s Office says it happened Wednesday night around 9 when a woman was approached by a man while making a food delivery to an apartment complex on Losco and Old St. Augustine Road. The man showed his gun and demanded the woman give him money. The victim handed over the money and got away. She was able to get to a nearby store to report the incident to an off-duty officer.
About 30 minutes later, an on-duty officer was in a marked patrol car and noticed a man matching the same description of the suspect in the St. Augustine apartments. The officer confronted the suspect, but the suspect turned to run while he raised a silver handgun at the officer. JSO says the officer fired two shots at the suspect who ultimately got away.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says about five minutes after shots were fired, residents at the complex called 911 reporting a man lying in the breezeway with a gun. The silver handgun matched the description the suspect waved at the officer before he was shot. An officer and a trained nurse who lived in the area performed CPR until Jacksonville Fire and Rescue arrived, but the suspect died on scene.
As part of the policy, the officer was placed on administrative leave. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the officer was not wearing a body camera. Police are still searching for surveillance at both locations. They said during the holiday season, they see an increase in crimes of opportunities as they encourage everyone to be aware of their surroundings.