A Jacksonville officer-involved shooting has left a community shaken as a police investigation unfolds into why a pursuit of a stolen car ended in lethal gunfire.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — An investigation is underway after a deadly officer-involved shooting in Jacksonville’s Oceanway area late Tuesday night.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the situation began just before 11:15 p.m. when officers in a covert vehicle spotted 52-year-old Wayne Jones inside what they identified as a stolen car. Police say officers chased Jones through a neighborhood near Kaleel Road.
During the chase, investigators say officers deployed a stun gun. At that point, police say Jones pulled out a gun. Officers then opened fire, killing him.
Neighbors who live along Kaleel Road say the sound of gunfire left them shaken up.
“All we heard were gunshots going off,” said Leane Millington, neighbor and friend of Jones. “Didn’t hear no sirens, no nothing. It was crazy.”
Millington, who lives next door, said she had known Jones for about a year. She said he had recently been rebuilding relationships with his family.
“He did 10 years in prison, he was just getting close with his daughter and granddaughter,” Millington told First Coast News.
Crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson says in the cases of stolen vehicles, officers often run a license plate before attempting a stop.
“In this case, that tag did not match [the vehicle]; the car was what gave them probable cause,” Jefferson said.
Jefferson says in high-risk situations like this, officers may conduct what is known as a “felony takedown,” a tactic used when a suspect is believed to be dangerous.
“Typically, if someone has stolen a car and they get lit up by police lights, they’re gonna run. If you’re going to get into a vehicle pursuit or a foot pursuit, the officers will try non-force initially with a taser. Once they saw the weapon, they had to use force,” said Jefferson.
The State Attorney’s Office is now reviewing the shooting.