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Carjacking victim recalls harrowing details of being caught up in Jacksonville police shooting

The community is rallying around Jacksonville Officer Jeremy Mason, who was shot in the face while pursuing bank robbery suspect Michael Joseph Harris on Tuesday afternoon.

As of late Wednesday night, Mason was recovering at UF Health Jacksonville.

Harris, who was shot and killed by Mason and Detective Brad Hurst, is also accused of carjacking Tara Carter in his attempt to elude police.

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Carter's car was at the center of the police chase through a Westside neighborhood that ended at the home on Tuesday afternoon.

“I was yelling, 'Thank you, thank you, oh, freaking God, thank you, I’m alive,'” Carter said of when police finally caught up with her car.

Police say Carter was driving the car when it crashed into the mailbox, with three-time convicted felon Harris in the passenger seat.

JSO confirmed Harris, a suspect in two bank robberies over two days, forced Carter to drive for 2 miles.

“He looked out there in the driveway, and he said, 'Whose car is that?' I said, 'It’s mine.' He said get the (expletive) in it and drive,” Carter said.

Police say during the chase, Harris started shooting out the back window, hitting the car K-9 Officer Mason was driving. Police say one of Harris’ bullets hit Officer Mason in the face.

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“I just kept screaming, 'I’m dead, I’m dead.' Bullets are flying out, bullets are flying in,” Carter said.

On Wednesday, Gov. Rick Scott said he’s praying for Mason.

“I don’t want any law officers injured, of course we don’t want to lose any law enforcement officers. We’re praying for his swift recovery,” Scott said.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said in the shooting, Harris used a gun reported stolen out of Taylor County, Florida in 2012.