A man was shot by Jacksonville police Sunday evening after police say he fired several gunshots in a Northside neighborhood and refused to comply with officers’ commands.
In a news conference Sunday night, Undersheriff Mark Romano said officers were dispatched to an apartment complex on Broxton Bay Drive just after 6 p.m. after receiving a report of gunshots being heard in the complex.
Shortly after police arrived at the Levi at River City apartments and spoke with a caller, they heard six loud gunshots nearby. Police then saw the 38-year-old suspect, who has not yet been named, come from around the corner of the building.
When police confronted the man, he reportedly ignored their questions and commands to put his hands up, instead climbing the stairs to the second floor of the building as two officers followed, Romano said.
Once on the second floor, the suspect reportedly pulled a handgun from his front pocket. Despite commands to drop his weapon, Romano said the man turned toward officers with the gun, prompting them to shoot and detain him. The man was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Investigators had not yet determined Sunday night why he was reportedly shooting before police confronted him, but said the suspect lived in the neighborhood.
The officers involved were not immediately named.
No one else was reported injured.
“They did the right thing by calling the police,” Sheriff T.K. Waters said about the neighbors in the apartment complex. “We want them to feel safe, we want them to feel secure. Unfortunately, you don’t feel real secure when there’s a guy out there randomly firing shots in your apartment complex. But, that threat is now over. It’s stopped, and they can rest assured we’ll come running when they need us.”
The suspect will be charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and two counts of discharging a firearm in public.