BALDWIN, Fla. – Police captured a robbery suspect Monday in the Baldwin area about 90 minutes after an officer fired shots at the man, who kept running, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
Police said they had been looking for a 5-foot-7 black man with short hair suspected in the armed robbery of an IGA grocery store in Baldwin last Wednesday. They said they had surveillance footage of the suspect wearing a t-shirt with the logo "Keep Calm."
When the suspect, later identified as 26-year-old Robert Brooks, was spotted by an officer at about 11:40 a.m., he ran into some woods.
Police said Officer Jeff Webster caught up with Brooks on the other side of the woods after Brooks (pictured) jumped a fence and fell. That's when Brooks turned toward the officer in an abrupt way and his hand reached toward his waist, police said.
"The officer felt in fear of his life, pulled his firearm and discharged two rounds toward the suspect," JSO Chief Tom Hackney said.
Both shots missed, and Brooks resumed running. He was found in a house shortly after 1 p.m. He is charged in connection with the IGA robbery.
After Brooks' arrest, officers went to his address and spoke to his family. His father told police Brooks had told him he'd pulled a robbery. Brooks' brother said he had a lot of money all of a sudden, even though he's unemployed. Police got permission to do a search of the home, and found a shirt in the laundry hamper with the "Keep Calm" logo.
Brooks denied owning the shirt or being involved in the robbery.
Rodney Jones said he's seen Brooks in the neighborhood and has talked to him before. He said he witnessed the police confrontation Monday.
"I just know him from the neighborhood. He was walking down the road and the police just rolled up and (were) like, 'Get on the ground!'" Rodney Jones said. "He just took off running and that's when he just jumped out of the car and shot at him for no reason. He didn't have a gun or nothing. He just shot at him."
Hackney said no weapon was found when Brooks was arrested, but officers were combing the woods to see if he dropped one while running from the officer.
Store manager Lisa Jones told News4Jax what happened Wednesday.
"He pulled a gun as soon as the store opened, got what he wanted and left," said Lisa Jones, who is not related to Rodney Jones.
She added that she was glad the search was over.
"I don't want to see anyone hurt," she said.
Webster, a 12-year veteran of Sheriff's Office, will be placed on administrative leave, which is standard practice after an officer fires his weapon.
Several Florida Highway Patrol troopers assisted JSO in the search, which stretched south about a half-mile from the intersection of U.S. 301 and U.S. 90.