JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville police shot and killed a man Tuesday night along Blanding Boulevard, just north of 103rd Street, after they say the man fired a gun in a shopping plaza parking lot and then pointed it at officers.
Police said Randy Sharpe, 30, had been drinking before the altercation, which happened around 9:30 p.m. on the Westside.
No officers were injured in the shooting.
It’s still unclear what Sharpe was shooting at in the parking lot or if the bullets hit anything.
Police said the incident began when Sharpe called a female friend and asked for a ride to help run some errands.
They said at one point, the two started arguing, so she pulled into the parking lot, got out of the car and started to walk away.
She told police that seconds later, she heard gunshots.
Sharpe had taken her gun, which she had in the car, and fired a number of shots, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Nearby officers heard the gunfire and pulled into the parking lot.
They said Sharpe then went behind one of the businesses toward the back parking lot and started to run away. According to JSO, when the officers tried to engage him, Sharpe turned back and pointed the gun at the officers.
Both officers fired shots at Sharpe, hitting him. He later died at the hospital.
Court records show Sharpe had a lengthy criminal history, including arrests for drugs, robbery and traffic issues, and a woman took out a restraining order against him in 2017.
The State Attorney’s Office is investigating the officer-involved shooting. JSO says it is the 12th one this year.
