The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says a man approached an officer on West Beaver Street and shot at him before being killed.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — One man is dead after being shot by an officer west of Downtown Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office announced.
JSO says that at around 3:30 p.m., an individual, later identified as 45-year-old Christopher Ford, had approached a sergeant’s vehicle near the 1700 block of West Beaver Street near Stockton Street. The sergeant exited his vehicle shortly after and made contact with Ford.
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The agency says that during this interaction, Ford pulled out a handgun and began to walk backwards. After the sergeant did the same, JSO reports that Ford opened fire in his direction but just missed him.
JSO says the sergeant then shot his own gun and struck Ford. He was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
According to JSO, Ford had previously been Baker Acted in February of 2026 and had no known criminal history. The sergeant was involved in a previous officer-involved shooting.
The State Attorney’s Office is currently on scene investigating, as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducts an investigation to determine if the shooting officer acted criminally. The sheriff’s office will conduct an internal review for any potential policy violations.