JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man police say was armed with a gun when he kicked in the doors of four homes in the Holiday Hill neighborhood of Jacksonville’s Southside late Monday night was eventually shot and killed by officers after he confronted them, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Police said that around 11:30 p.m. Monday, officers responded to reports of “armed criminal mischief’ on Rigel Road off Century 21 Drive.
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They said that starting around 11:15 p.m., a man in his 30s had reportedly kicked in the doors of four occupied homes while carrying a handgun. At least one of the homes had children inside, police said.
All of the residents called 911, and several of them told police that the man had made concerning statements before leaving, and he didn’t try to take anything.
“The danger was there. I know it caused a lot of fear for residents in those places,” Sheriff T.K. Waters said. “It’s a pretty dangerous and scary situation for those people who live in those residences.”
While officers were talking with the residents in a driveway, the man walked up to them and pointed a handgun at them, according to JSO. They ordered him to drop the weapon. He did not, and that is when four officers fired their weapons, fatally wounding him, police said.
According to JSO, the incident was captured on both surveillance video and body-worn cameras. JSO Undersheriff Shawn Coarsey said the man told officers, “This is it… this is my last day.”
“He walked between two vehicles. It’s hard to tell where he came from. It was dark where he came from,” JSO Undersheriff Shawn Coarsey said. “As he approached those officers, he picked his hand up, pointed the gun at them. They ordered him to drop the gun (pictured below), and the shots were fired.”
No officers were injured, JSO said.
Neighbor Jessica Sauls described the aftermath of the deadly police-involved shooting that happened practically on her doorstep.
“It’s very nerve-wracking to A) see a police-involved shooting. You see it on the news. You see it in movie scenes, but to have it happen in your front yard, and to have children at home is just... I’m still shaking to my core,” Sauls said. “And to watch a man’s life being taken away right in front of me is just, it’s heartbreaking. I know that he committed a crime, but it is heartbreaking to see somebody’s life just end that quickly.”
JSO said the man has been identified, but they need to notify his family before releasing his name to the public. They did note that he has convictions in both Texas and Florida, and therefore could not legally carry a firearm.
The State Attorney’s Office is investigating the case, and the officers who fired their weapons will be placed on administrative leave, per agency protocol. They are Officer R. Vazquez, Officer G. Comayagua, Officer J. Pallint, and Officer A. Schmidt.