Officer fires at fleeing suspect; 2 taken into custody

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office fired one shot at a suspect after a foot chase Monday night on the Eastside, police said.

The shot missed and the suspect, 18-year-old Marshall Walker (pictured below), immediately surrendered to the officer, according to JSO Assistant Chief Chris Butler.

Around 5:38 p.m. an anonymous caller told police that two suspects had pulled into the yard at 1131 East 11th St. in a blue car and then walked away from the car, Butler said.

When officers arrived at the address, they saw damage to the interior of the car, including wires hanging down around the ignition, which can sometimes indicate a stolen vehicle, Butler said.

The officers knocked on doors to confirm that the vehicle did not belong there, and then backed out of the area, hoping the suspects would return to the vehicle, Butler said.

The suspects did return, and when Officer J.W. Ervin pulled into the yard, one of the suspects fled, so Ervin pursued him on foot.

"As he approached the suspect, the suspect was actually standing behind a barrel, pointing a silver, semi-automatic handgun directly at him," Butler said.

Police said Walker pointed an FIE Titan II 380 at the officer.

Ervin, a six-year veteran of JSO, fired once at the suspect and missed. Walker did not fire, but after Irvin fired, Walker threw the gun over a fence and his hands into the air and was taken into custody, Butler said.

Wesley Williams said the suspect Ervin chased was his 18-year-old son, and he doesn't believe he had a gun.

"I was on the porch when this whole incident went down," Williams said. "The policeman came around in the gate, almost runs over my son, so my son starts running away from the policeman because he doesn't know why he's coming at him like that."

Williams said the officer took the car around the side of the house and then he heard a gunshot.

"So I went back in the back to make sure the policeman hadn't shot my son," Williams said.

The second suspect, who did not flee, was also taken into custody.

Walker is charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

Butler confirmed the car was not stolen.