2nd suspect in Brentwood shootout still at large

Twin 15-year-olds make 'frantic' call reporting 2 men breaking into home

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville police are still trying to find a man they say is armed and dangerous, one day after a shootout after a burglary at a Brentwood home.

Police say the 17-year-old suspected burglar shot in an exchange of gunfire Thursday afternoon with police and a homeowner is cooperating with police.

After an extensive search of the neighborhood that required the lockdown of Brentwood Elementary School, the second suspect was not caught. 

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Director Tom Hackney said it still wasn't known whether the suspect, identified as Samuel Boyd, was hit by shots fired by a police officer or the homeowner.

Hackney said Boyd (pictured in JSO booking photo) was treated and released and booked into jail on charges of armed burglary. He said Boyd already had numerous arrests.

"Although it not a documented gang member, he has some tattoos that indicates he may have some affiliations," Hackney said.

The incident started about 2 p.m. when twin 15-year-old boys made a "frantic" call to their father to say two men were breaking into the house on West 30th Street. They then called 911.

The first officers and the father arrived at the same time. Officer Matthew Kreuger saw one of the men climbing out the window, pulled his Taser gun and ordered the person to surrender. About that time, shots were fired at the officer, who pulled his gun and fired back. The second man appeared and more gunfire was exchanged.

"Obviously he felt like he was under fire his life was in danger so he is certainly justified in the use of deadly force to protect himself and somebody else," Hackney said.

When other officers arrived, the homeowner was holding one man at gunpoint in the front yard and he had a gunshot wound in the shoulder. He was taken UF Health Jacksonville.

With a second burglar, possibly armed, on the loose, the school less than two blocks away was locked down, with school district police with rifles positioned outside. Despite an extensive search of the neighborhood with ground units, K-9 teams and a helicopter, the second burglar was not located.

Police describe the second suspect as a black man in his 20s who was between 5 feet 7 and 5 feet 8 inches tall. At the time he was wearing a dark shirt and tan pants.

Hackney said he should be considered armed and dangerous and asked anyone with any information that could help police call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.

Hackney said the same home was burglarized Wednesday and guns were stolen. It wasn't known if  the two incidents were connected, but Hackney added said they had "a pretty good idea" who they were looking for in the first break-in.

Police said the officer who fired his weapon was placed on administrative leave -- standard practice after a police-involved shooting.

"He did what he needed to do to protect himself and the other people in the neighborhood," Hackney said.

Neighbors react to shootout


Neighbors who heard about the incident called the homeowner a hero after he rushed home when his teenagers called about the men breaking in.

"To me, in my books, he's a hero, and if it would happen to me I would do the same thing, too," said neighbor Ulysses Carpio. "He asked me, 'Did you see anything?' And I said, 'No, what's going on?' He said that somebody robbed his house, so I was shocked."

Larry Gillis said in 33 years he has never had a problem with crime in his neighborhood.

"It was about four or five shots," Gillis said. "It sounded pretty loud because I was across the way, especially on the other side."

News4Jax took a look at the crime in the neighborhood. According to the JSO Crime Mapping Program, in the last two weeks, within a half mile radius, the neighborhood has had 19 crimes. This includes burglaries, assaults, motor vehicle thefts and larceny.

Parents who showed up to get their children from Brentwood Elementary Thursday afternoon were shocked to be met by school district police carrying rifles.

"Anytime you hear gunfire around a school, you go into panic mode," said Rasool Kamma, the father of a first-grader at Brentwood.

Pre-K students were released first. The rest of the students were held until 4 p.m., then directed away from the area cordoned off by police.

Students told News4Jax they were told by their teacher to get under the desks, but not told why.

News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith had advice for what to do if they believe their home is being burglarized.

"When they saw suspicious people outside the residence, the first thing to do is call 911. Call police, then they should call their father. But it worked out in this case because they both did arrive home," Smith said.