JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Tamara Edwards Cruz watched from the street as officers surrounded a car with an armed, suicidal man inside.
“It was intense, y’all. It was real intense,” she said — and for nearly eight hours, an entire Jacksonville neighborhood felt the same way.
A Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officer shot the man, identified by family as Samuel Waters Jr., Wednesday evening after negotiations stretching from mid-morning into the night failed to end the standoff peacefully. Waters survived and is expected to be Baker Acted, according to JSO.
The standoff began around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday after family members reported Waters was armed and suicidal. SWAT negotiators, crisis teams, and armored vehicles were all deployed before it was over.
Neighborhood Blocked Off for Hours
The heavy police presence along busy San Pablo Road created major disruptions for residents and drivers. Edwards Cruz recorded video and posted it to social media as she moved closer to where negotiators were working.
“Ok, here comes the ambulance, the fire truck is coming, I’m sure they’re getting ready to go to the scene,” she said in one video.
Many residents were especially concerned because of how close the standoff was to Alimicani Elementary School, a nearby Walmart, and Interstate access.
“I personally think there was a concern for public safety because when you had two schools that was located right down the street and also Walmart — that facility there, that’s a huge gas station, a daily gas station or whatnot,” Edwards Cruz said.
Eight Hours of Negotiations
Investigators say Waters ignored commands from law enforcement and repeatedly threatened to harm himself and others. JSO also says that just days before Wednesday’s standoff, Waters got into an argument with his father and fired a weapon, though his father was not hurt.
About two and a half hours into the standoff, SWAT negotiators arrived and provided Waters with a phone, continuing communication efforts into the evening hours.
JSO Undersheriff Shawn Coarsey described the department’s efforts to resolve the situation peacefully.
“They tried to contact him with a loudspeaker, blocked the vehicle in, they tried to contact for several hours,” Coarsey said.
News4JAX learned officers deployed multiple specialized law enforcement resources commonly used during armed suicidal calls, including crisis negotiators trained in de-escalation.
Officers Use Armored Vehicle to End Standoff
After hours of negotiations failed to bring a peaceful resolution, officers took an offensive approach.
“They used an armored vehicle to break the windows, they used gas, the man exited the vehicle with a large knife and pistol, they ordered him to drop the firearm and they shot several times,” Coarsey said.
Waters was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive. JSO says he faces criminal charges in addition to the anticipated Baker Act proceeding.
On Thursday, JSO released photos of the handgun and knife police say Waters had with him during the standoff.
JSO’s Ninth Officer-Involved Shooting This Year
JSO says this marks the ninth officer-involved shooting in Jacksonville in 2026. The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is standard procedure.