MANDARIN, Fla. — In a shocking incident that unfolded on English Colony Drive in Mandarin, a man tragically died after being in the back of a police cruiser, prompting a thorough investigation by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
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The incident occurred on English Colony Drive in Mandarin. According to the police, the man was behaving erratically and had been firing his gun.
Action News Jax’s Nick Gibson spoke to a neighbor who recounted a terrifying encounter with the suspect.
The witness stated, “He pointed that gun in my face.” The same witness reported seeing the suspect fire several shots in his front yard before the arrival of JSO officers.
Matt Daly, a resident of English Colony Drive, provided additional details about the chaotic situation.
Daly told Action News Jax that, “He wasn’t all there, screaming, ‘I need help, I need help, my wife is trying to kill me.’” JSO officers were called to the scene on Saturday after receiving reports of 33-year-old Anthony Ball acting erratically and discharging a firearm.
According to Daly, he attempted to intervene and disarm the suspect, urging him to hand over the gun. However, Ball ran away, fired off a few more rounds, and then began rolling around on the ground.
JSO decided to place Ball in the back of a police cruiser, but just ten minutes later, they found him slumped over. Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) stated that he was experiencing a medical emergency.
Despite being taken to a local medical facility, Ball’s health continued to deteriorate, and he was eventually pronounced dead.
Daly expressed sympathy for the officers’ efforts, saying, “They were doing the best they could. The cars were running, they had A/C on them. They did the best they could.”
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A 40-caliber handgun was recovered at the scene, according to JSO.
Daly shared his shock at the events, saying, “The dude was crazy... He was fighting people that weren’t there. He was shooting rounds off at people who didn’t exist.” Remarkably, none of the shots fired by the suspect hit any objects around the area, as confirmed by Daly.
JSO has announced that the medical examiner’s office will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Action News Jax has reached out to JSO for a statement regarding the incident and is awaiting a response.
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