JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man, who allegedly shot at a Jacksonville sheriff’s officer, was struck multiple times when the officer returned fire after responding to an arson investigation, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff T.K Waters held a news conference to discuss the officer-involved shooting.
JSO said it was called to a home on Boney Road Saturday evening. The man who lives in the house told police that he believed human trafficking was happening and people were digging under the home, trying to break in, JSO said.
Police responded to those calls and determined the man was having a mental episode and those claims were not true.
Later Sunday morning, the homeowner called to say the man was trying to set fire to the home. JSO said he lit a curtain on fire.
When an officer arrived again, the man was on the porch with a knife, according to police.
The officer ordered him to drop the knife. The man then proceeded to pick up an airsoft gun with the tip painted black, so the pistol looked like a real gun (photo below).
The man advanced on the officer, who kept his distance as the man came around a car, still holding both the knife and the gun. The homeowner was yelling during the incident, possibly trying to tell the officer that the pistol was an airsoft gun, but the officer hadn’t confirmed that, police said.
When the man eventually fired a shot at the officer, the officer returned fire, hitting the man three times in the leg, JSO said. The officer rendered aid to the man, who was transported to a hospital with critical injuries.
Since police said the man was having mental health issues, News4JAX is not naming him at this time.
Watch the entire news conference below: