JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 26-year-old man Jacksonville police said was connected to a burglary is dead Wednesday after police responded to an apartment in the Wesconnett area, prompting a SWAT standoff.
According to an incident report, the father of Paton Pinette called police to inform authorities that his son, who he said was dealing with mental health issues and was recently released from a mental health resource center, was the suspect in an early morning burglary at the father’s business on Lenox Avenue. Police said Pinette broke into the business, stole a revolver and started shooting before leaving the store.
The report said when Pinette arrived at his parents’ home, he said, “Should I slice your throats or what?” Then he left the residence. JSO began conducting paperwork to file a Risk Protection Order vs. Pinette, which bans suspects from having a firearm.
Around 3 p.m., JSO received another call from a random man who said Pinette pointed the revolver at him and threatened him, saying “It’s a bad day to garden.” Officers headed over to the SummerWinds Apartment complex on Timuquana Road to learn more about the situation.
The officers attempted to make contact with Pinette but he shot at them twice and they fired back. It is unknown if Pinette was hit. Since Pinette was armed, the SWAT team was called.
Investigators took several hours to negotiate with Pinette, JSO said, but when he stepped out of the apartment, he was armed with a revolver in one hand and knife in the other.
JSO said he came out in an “aggressive manner” and went to lift the gun, so a SWAT officer shot him. He died on the scene.
“It was very scary. It was very serious. JSO was the best I had ever seen. They were so patient. They asked this guy not once but a hundred times hour after hour; please come out. We will get you help,” Luther Watson said about the situation.
Other neighbors came home from work only to learn they could not go inside the complex because police had entrances blocked.
“It’s kind of shocking. I’ve been here since February of this year and nothing like this has happened. I called ahead of time before coming here from work they were like something was going down. I pull in and you can’t get in. There are police cars everywhere,” Courtney Loftus said.
This is the 13th officer-involved shooting this year, according to JSO records.