ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The State Attorney’s Office has cleared a St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office deputy of any wrongdoing after the deputy shot a man after the man took his own life during a traffic stop, according to a memo obtained by News4JAX.
The St. Johns County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the man who died was wounded in the shoulder by the deputy during the traffic stop in September in the Julington Creek area, but that was after the man had already suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Recommended Videos
Investigators determined the man fired a shot, and in reaction, the deputy then fired a shot.
Apart from the self-inflicted gunshot, the Sheriff’s Office said, the Medical Examiner’s Office determined the man who died sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder that had been fired by the deputy, but the wound was determined to be non-life-threatening.
The deputy, identified as Jylton Tusha, was not injured. The Sheriff’s Office said he’s worked with the department since October 2019, and it was his first deputy-involved shooting.
“This is an unfortunate situation for all involved and illustrates the dangers of this profession and that a deputy sheriff never really knows what they are approaching,” Hardwick said in a prepared statement last year. “We ask that you keep those involved in your thoughts and prayers including the deceased’s family.”
The Sheriff’s Office said it recognizes the importance of mental health and encouraged anyone who might be struggling to reach out for help. It listed the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255) and the National Alliance on Mental Health (800-950-6264).