GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. – No one was hit by gunfire Friday morning when a man accused of attempted murder fired shots at several Clay County Sheriff’s Office vehicles and at least one deputy returned fire in Green Cove Springs, authorities said.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the man was taken into custody.
The Green Cove Springs Police Department said the man was wanted on an arrest warrant stemming from a shooting Tuesday.
The Police Department said it responded around 6:45 a.m. Tuesday to a disturbance at a home on Calico Jack Way and found a male with a gunshot wound to his upper left arm, along with a female who lived at the home. He was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
Police said they learned that there was an altercation between the male and another person. Police said they identified the other person as 24-year-old Qwinten Simmons and a warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of attempted murder, armed burglary and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
After being unable to locate Simmons, the Police Department reached out to the U.S. Marshals Service for help apprehending him. The Marshals Service took over the case, and at one point, marshals reached out to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office for further assistance.
On Friday morning, Clay County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit detectives and other undercover deputies from the agency were working a surveillance operation in the area of Joey Circle and West Street along with a Marshal Service task force. Just before 11 a.m., the Sheriff’s Office said, the group noticed a person, who matched the description of Simmons, on a bicycle and began to follow him to determine he was in fact Simmons. The Sheriff’s Office said the man realized he was being followed on North Street near West Street, pulled out a handgun, and fired at a deputy’s vehicle, striking it before the deputy could exit his car.
The Sheriff’s Office said that the man continued down North Street, firing at the vehicles of at least two other deputies who were also a part of the surveillance team, and that at least one deputy returned fire.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Simmons fled through several residential yards, where he was taken into custody by members of the surveillance team.
“He never even gave the deputies the opportunity to take him into custody peacefully,” Clay County Undersheriff Ron Lendvay said at a news conference Friday afternoon with the Police Department. “Before they could even verbally engage him, he pulled out a firearm and started shooting.”
Neither the man nor law enforcement officers were hit by gunfire, the Sheriff’s Office said. It added that at least two Sheriff’s Office vehicles were hit by gunfire from Simmons, whose gun has been recovered.
“You know, we’re lucky that we do not have a law enforcement officer shot today, and I’m thankful for those that we have to protect and serve and put themselves in harm’s way to keep our community safe,” Lendvay said. “A policeman’s biggest fear is getting into a shootout in an area like this where there are so many uncontrollable variables. At a time of day that is was, we were fortunate that there were not a lot of people out here at the time and the issue was resolved very quickly, but that is always a major concern.”
UNCUT: Press the play button below to watch the full news conference with the Green Cove Springs Police Department & Clay County Sheriff’s Office
As of Friday afternoon, Lendvay said, authorities were interviewing Simmons and processing the “rather large” scene spanning several blocks in a residential neighborhood with Green Cove Springs Junior High School located nearby.
“What we’re doing with our processing of the area is also a damage assessment. The suspect fired multiple shots, as did the deputies. So if anybody finds any of their property that’s damaged by gunfire, and they haven’t already been contacted by our folks that are processing the scene, please call us at 904-264-6512,” said the undersheriff, who also stressed that there is no current danger.
He added at the end of the news conference that there will be additional charges pending.
The Police Department said none of its officers were involved in the incident.