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Woman says man charged with killing K-9 officer held her at gunpoint

Amanda Gears, 25, claims she was carjacked before dog was shot

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A woman said the man suspected in the deadly shooting of a K-9 officer pulled a gun on her before she was carjacked.

Jhamel Paskel, 17, was arrested and charged with killing a police dog, armed carjacking and two counts of kidnapping.

Amanda Gears, 25, said she and her friend were sitting in a car Sunday morning outside a gas station on Lem Turner Road. As Gears sat in the driver's seat, her friend was going through a bag of clothes when, she said, a man jumped in the car, pulled out a gun and ordered her to drive.

"I heard the car door open," Gears said. "I could hear him breathing really deep. He was nervous."

According to Gears, the man made her drive to a dark road, where he made her and her friend get out. He then drove off.

Police were able to track the car, which was equipped with OnStar.

While on the phone, Gears said she could hear the police chasing after her car and what happened after it came to a stop about 18 miles away.

"I heard them (officers) say, 'Shots fired. Shots fired,'" Gears said. "The dog yelped."

An officer had released the dog, Fang, to chase Paskel after police said he tried to run away. Fang died after being shot. Paskel was eventually taken down by another K-9 officer.


About the Author
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Award-winning broadcast and multimedia journalist with 20 years experience.

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