JSO officer shot in the line of duty to receive Purple Heart medal

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will honor one of his own this morning after he was shot in the line of duty.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

Office Malik Daricaud was shot in the neck by a suspect and suffered a severe spinal cord injury. He was in a local rehab facility for over a year.

Daricuad is expected to receive a Purple Heart medal for his brave efforts later this morning at JSO Headquarters.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

It was unclear if he would be able to move on his own again, but back in April, Daricaud walked out of the Brooks Rehab Center.

Action News Jax told you back in March 2023 when the 25-year-old was following up on an investigation at a suspect’s home. When he and his partners got inside, the suspect was holding a rifle and shot Daricaud in the neck. According to detectives, the suspect later took his own life.

It’s been a long road to recovery, and he still has more to overcome.

“I believe he will walk better, and we’re going to try and get rid of the walker,” said Dr. Howard Weiss of the Brooks Rehab Center.

Read: Officer who suffered severe spinal injury in shooting goes home after almost 400 days

The ceremony will start at 9 a.m.

Right now, Daricaud is working in the Real-Time Crime Center analyzing video and doing computer work at JSO.

Read: Officer suffers critical injuries after being shot during follow-up traffic stop investigation

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.