JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The police officer shot Friday night in a gun battle in northwest Jacksonville that left a 22-year-old man dead is out of the hospital.
Police said two officers were patrolling near the intersection of 26th and Barnett streets about 6:35 p.m. when they said a man began looking suspicious by trying to avoid them.
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The officers said when they got out to question the man -- later identified as Chester Elliot -- he pulled a .38-cabiber revolver and started shooting.
The officers returned gunfire, killing Elliot.
Investigators said they found four spent shell casing in the gun Elliot used, but they were not sure how many shots were fired at the officers, one of which struck Officer C.A. Sames in the shoulder.
Sames, a two-year veteran of the department, was hospitalized overnight at Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center.
This was the third JSO officer shot in 2008 and the 19th police-involved shooting.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Director Dwain Senterfitt said this was yet another example of how dangerous the streets have become for police officers.
"This is just, yet another attempt on the life of one of our officers," Senterfitt said on Saturday. "It's unfortunate that we have all these people out there carrying these guns and willing to challenge police over I don't really know what."
Police said Eliot had previous arrests for drugs and forgery, but no violent felonies and he was not wanted at the time of the shooting.
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- September 19, 2008: Officer Shot, Suspect Dead After Gunfight In Northwest Jax