JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 29-year-old woman accused of stabbing an officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was shot and killed by officers Saturday in Northwest Jacksonville.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Officer E. Meckling responded to a home in the 1300 block of Golfair Boulevard just after 5 p.m. after receiving a call about a dispute between two roommates.
When Officer Meckling arrived, a woman -- later identified Leah Baker -- answered the door holding a knife and quickly sliced the officer’s arm, according to JSO Chief T.K. Waters who briefed the media on the incident Saturday night.
Officer Meckling then backed up and told Baker to drop the knife. The suspect refused, Waters said.
Baker then charged and Meckling “fired off several rounds in an attempt to stop her,” Waters said.
An off-duty officer, J.C. Nobles, happened to be driving by at the time saw what was happening and stopped to help. He also told Baker to drop the knife, Waters said, but Baker charged again so Nobles fired several rounds. It wasn’t immediately clear how many shots were fired and how many of those shots struck Baker.
Baker was taken to a local hospital and later pronounced dead.
Meckling’s arm was injured and she was taken to the hospital for treatment, Waters said. She is expected to recover.
Waters said that Meckling has been with JSO for one year and it was her first officer-involved shooting.
Nobles, who was not injured in the incident, has been with JSO 18 years and it was his fifth officer-involved shooting.
Both officers were placed on paid administrative leave, per policy.
Waters said the Sheriff’s Office and the State Attorney’s Office will conduct concurrent investigations.
