JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday released details and video from an officer-involved shooting on March 17 that resulted in the death of 49-year-old Michael Krause Jr. outside a Gate gas station on Bowden Road.
Updated information from JSO indicates Krause walked into the Gate not far from I-95 at 9:16 a.m., while several customers and employees were inside.
Convenience store surveillance video shows Krause walking around the store for several minutes. Five minutes after he entered the store, he pulled out an apparent handgun and pointed it at the store clerk, according to JSO.
Police said Krause demanded that the clerk call the police, stating he wanted to die and he wanted the police to kill him.
“You can go. I’m not hurting anybody. I just want to kill myself. Call the cops, please,” Krause can be heard saying on the store surveillance video. “I’m done with this ******* life.”
The customers ran out of the store, and the store clerk called 911 at 9:22 a.m.
WATCH: Full critical incident briefing with surveillance video (viewer discretion advised)
Once the employees left, Krause stayed inside and, at 9:24 a.m., opened the door and told the employees that he was going to come out shooting, police said.
JSO said officers arrived at the scene at 9:29 a.m. and when the officers got there, Krause opened the door again and yelled at the officers, “Are you ready?”
Officer H. Cascante then armed himself with his agency-approved rifle and took up a tactical position behind a patrol vehicle, while another officer ran toward people gathered at the scene outside, JSO said.
JSO said that at 9:30 a.m., Krause exited the store and began moving quickly toward Cascante with his right arm outstretched in front of his body with his weapon pointed at the officer.
Cascante fired his rifle, striking Krause, who fell to the ground, his weapon hitting the pavement. Krause died at the scene.
Investigators later learned the weapon Krause was holding was a Glock 19 replica airsoft gun.
Watch the full news conference:
Investigators said Krause never fired his gun, and the undersheriff said it appeared he wanted to provoke the officers into taking his life.
“We’re never going to let a person fire on us if we can avoid it,” Sheriff T.K. Waters said after the sixth officer-involved shooting of the year.
No officers were hurt in the encounter.
JSO said that had Krause survived his injuries, he would have been charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault and one count of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.
Cascante was hired on July 6, 2020, and this is his first officer-involved shooting, JSO said.
The State Attorney’s Office is conducting its own independent investigation. JSO will then conduct an internal review to ensure the officer acted within policy. Conclusions remain pending.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, you can find a list of local resources at this link.