JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The State Attorney’s Office on Tuesday ruled the police-involved shooting on Jacksonville’s Northside that left two people dead — and seriously wounded a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office K-9 — justifiable.
In a report released by the State Attorney’s Office, it was determined the shooting on Zoo Parkway in July was a valid use of force.
The officers involved will have to go before an internal board to see if the shooting was within departmental guidelines.
K-9 Huk was shot on Zoo Parkway on the Northside in July after police pursued three suspects from a shooting incident. The two men who died at the scene were identified as Lockett and Tyjarius Holton, 18. The report said a third person, Robert Motley, 32, who is in custody.
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According to a report, the shootout started when Lockett fired shots at police on West 45th Street and then sped off with two people in the car. The report says – Lockett was driving up to 97 miles per hour. During the chase, officers did not know Lockett had two passengers inside. One of the passengers, Motley, told police he asked Lockett multiple times to let him out of the car, but Lockett refused.
When Lockett got to Zoo Parkway he hit a car which caused him to lose control and crash into a fence at Jacksonville Zoo. Police were worried Lockett would get out of the car - and enter the zoo. That’s when they sent in K-9 Huk.
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JSO released body cam footage showing Huk going toward the suspect’s car. Moments after he goes in shots are fired by police. Huk was then hit in the rear leg.
More body cam footage shows Huk, his handler, and another officer in a helicopter taking the K9 to a veterinary office. His handler was discussing the shooting.
To be clear, JSO hasn’t finished its investigation into what happened, and whose bullets hit the dog. The body camera video previously released by JSO shows the moment Huk was hit. The service dog yelps in pain as officers fire into the suspects’ vehicle, killing two of the three men inside.
News4JAX Crime Analyst Lakesha Burton said situations like this are common in the police world.
“We call that friendly fire,” Burton said. “And that’s when an officer accidentally hit someone that’s on their side. So that is ultimately what the response to the resistance board is for. So they will examine all of the evidence and have the officer be able to articulate why he shot and you know, officers are accountable for every bullet that they fired from their firearm.”
Burton said if the officer is found responsible for shooting the K-9 he could receive training counseling or something along those lines.
JSO’s Response to Resistance Board will review the incident to see whether the use of deadly force was within departmental guidelines.