JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A 911 call about a shooting ended in another deadly shooting by a JSO officer. Cries echoed down the street from family members of the 32-year-old man who was gunned down.
Police originally responded to a shooting at the Cleveland Arms apartments. They pursued a suspected vehicle for several blocks until the passenger got out and ran away. Police say he had a gun.
"As he exited the car, several officers saw in his waistband a firearm," said Chief Tom Hackney.
As police chased the man, he dropped the gun on the pavement, then ran another block and hid in the crawlspace of the community barber shop. Police sent a canine after him to coax him out.
"Officers gave several verbal commands for the suspect to come out to comply," said Chief Hackney. "The suspect not only refused to comply but also shouted profanities at the officers."
That's when an officer fired three shots at the suspect, killing him instantly.
Just outside the police tape, neighbors rioted, frustrated that a man who dropped his gun was still shot by police.
"It's not a justified killing because the gun right there was left right there they shouldn't have killed him because he didn't have no weapon," said witness Serena Harris.
The gun was found at least a block away from where the officer shot at the suspect. Police stand by what they know. They say they were doing their job, protecting the public from a shooter who was at large, and who they thought they saw reach for a firearm.
"The last thing that these officers knew was that suspect who they saw go under that house was armed," said Hackney.
Police are not releasing the name of the man who was shot until his family has been notified. Another female suspect who was also pursued has been arrested.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office will hold a news conference Friday afternoon to release new information on the police shooting that left one suspect dead Thursday. JSO will hold a news conference at 1:45 p.m. in the Police Memorial Building.
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