JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A man was fatally shot by police on Wednesday when police said the man attempted to stab a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office K-9, ending an hours-long SWAT standoff on the Southside.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said around 12:37 a.m., police were first called to a burglary with a potential kidnapping at a home in the 12700 block of Copper Springs Road, which is near Patton Park.
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Patrol officers went to the door and no one responded, Chief Alan Parker said. These officers were familiar with the house because they responded to the home in March when the man had previously threatened the woman.
Police contacted a friend who called 911 on the woman’s behalf after receiving a text from her. Parker said the officers found out that the woman was being held in the master bedroom at the back of the house by a man armed with a knife.
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The woman had been threatened by the man many times before with a knife and a gun, Parker said.
Parker said he was not certain of the relationship between the man and the woman, but that “she had tried to eliminate the relationship and he found ways to reengage.”
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Several months ago, the woman had moved away in secret so the man didn’t know how to find her. Parker said somehow, the man got into her Gmail account and was able to find conversations between her and her realtor that documented that she was renting the home. He first showed up to the new home in December and it escalated from there, Parker said.
The woman was able to communicate with officers through her friend via text and they were able to convince her to escape the house through the master bathroom window.
Once she was out of the home, the officers spoke to the woman and found out the man got in through the rollup garage door, which he had damaged another time he came to the home. She thought she had fixed it with a screwdriver.
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The man then kicked in the door from the garage that led into the home and the incident began from there, Parker said.
The officers got the woman to safety and tried to make contact with the man, Parker said. He came to the door, still armed with a knife, threw some objects at the officers and went back inside.
Patrol officers requested assistance from JSO’s SWAT Team. The team and negotiators arrived around 5 a.m., Parker said.
“The loud speaker kept on going saying they have a warrant for their arrest,” Jadd, the neighbor who lives next door, said.
“My mom saw him and screamed and that’s when I rushed out of my room and we rushed to the closet,” his brother Yousif said.
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After hours of negotiations, the man came out of the back of the house, still armed with the knife. Parker said the SWAT Team was on the side of the house so they could get a view of the back of the home.
The suspect did not comply with commands, Parker said, so a less-lethal 40 mm round was used, but it was not effective.
Then, the suspect ran into the backyard of the neighboring house. He was coming around the corner toward the road, saw the SWAT Team and doubled back, Parker said.
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He then tried to go into another neighbor’s yard, attempting to get into their fenced area.
Action News Jax spoke with the neighbors who live right next door to where this all happened. They saw the suspect run through their backyard.
“Repeatedly issuing warning on a blowhorn for almost 11 hours and didn’t come out eventually he was trying to cross through here, they took their battering ram machine hit the fence knocked it out and he ran right past my room and that’s when we heard the shots,” Yousif said.
Action News Jax also obtained viewer video that shows officers using tear gas, it also picked up the gunshots.
The SWAT Team deployed the K-9 and the man was holding the K-9 back with his left hand, Parker said.
Parker said the suspect “raised the knife in an apparent attempt to stab the dog, the officers were well within the reactionary gap, the SWAT officer engaged him, firing his rifle.”
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The suspect did not survive his injuries, Parker said. This is the fourth officer-involved shooting of 2023, Parker said.
This is the second officer-involved shooting for the officer who shot the suspect and the officer is on administrative leave per JSO policy.
The State Attorney’s Office responded to the area to conduct an independent investigation.
About the suspect
Parker said the suspect is a 39-year-old man who is a convicted felon with several weapon and drug charges in his background.
Starting in December, there was a domestic battery between the two. That same month, there was an armed burglary in Jacksonville Beach, involving a grand theft of controlled substances, petit theft, all that had warrants requested by Jacksonville Beach police.
Parker said in February, there was an aggravated assault and a grand theft between the two and warrants were requested on that as well.
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In March, a simple stalking incident happened between the two and warrants were requested on that.
Earlier this month, there was a burglary, which led to Wednesday’s incident.
Charges from Wednesday were burglary with assault, false imprisonment, resisting an officer with violence, Parker said.
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Parker said he did not have information on if a restraining order was filed against the man.
Sheriff Waters said while it is unfortunate the incident ended with loss of life, the community is safe.
“You want to do everything you can to end a situation like this as peacefully as possible and without the loss of life. Unfortunately, because of the circumstances in this situation, it ended the way that it ended,” Waters said. “That’s a safe neighborhood. I would tell the folks in that neighborhood don’t be concerned about anything further as far as that situation is concerned. The community is safe and we want to make sure the community knows they’re safe and we’re gonna take care of that community.”
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