JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In Jacksonville’s third officer-involved shooting in a week, a driver and passengers are on the run after a brief police chase, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said.
It started when three undercover narcotics officers were on duty in the area of 30th Street and Phoenix Avenue and saw a car run a stop sign while speeding, according to JSO.
RELATED: Man hospitalized in officer-involved shooting | Woman shot, killed by police after allegedly stabbing officer
Police said when officers attempted to stop the driver, a chase began. It ended quickly, however, when the driver pulled into a dead-end at Claudia Spencer Street. That’s when the car made a U-turn to face the officers and was cornered, police said.
Officers said they got out of their patrol cars with their guns drawn and told the driver and passengers to surrender. The driver accelerated the vehicle, driving toward the officers, and two of the officers fired shots at the vehicle, according to JSO.
The car was later found abandoned and riddled with bullet holes on Ionia Street. Police said there’s no evidence showing definitively that anyone was hit. The people inside have not been found.
JSO said it was too dark during the incident for the detectives to provide a suspect description of the driver or an estimate of how many passengers were in the car.
The car involved in the incident was a black Chevrolet Malibu with a Maryland tag. Police hope that information will help identify who was in the vehicle during the chase.
The two officers who fired their weapons are on administrative leave during the investigation, which is standard protocol.
Anyone with information about this incident can email JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org or call 904-630-0500.
To remain anonymous and receive a possible reward up to $3,000, contact First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.