An officer-involved shooting yesterday has resulted in the death of a 69-year-old white man following a traffic crash in Jacksonville. The incident occurred at around 6 p.m. on Beach Boulevard at I-295 in the Southside Estates area. According to a social media post from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, witnesses reported that the deceased ran a red light and collided with another car. Post-collision, he began to express suicidal intentions while brandishing a firearm.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office stated that trained negotiators and officers engaged the armed suspect for approximately 20 minutes. Despite their efforts, the man frequently became unresponsive during the negotiations. A bystander, approaching the vicinity, drew the suspect’s attention, which led the officers, concerned for the bystander’s safety, to discharge their weapons as the suspect turned towards the passerby with the gun still in his hand. Rescue personnel transported the man to a local hospital where he later died. Sheriff T.K. Waters and Chief Alan Parker have yet to release the suspect’s name, pending next of kin notification, however, it has been revealed that his license was previously revoked and he had five D.U.I. charges on his record.
In the vehicle struck by the suspect, a woman was driving with two children. All three sustained minor injuries and received medical attention on-site. The officers involved in the shooting, identified as G. Hernandez and Z. Slatowski, were unharmed in the incident. The Florida State Attorney’s Office is currently investigating the shooting, which will be followed by an internal investigation by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. This marks the twelfth officer-involved shooting for the department this year…