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.
The carjacking victim is speaking out about the ordeal she faced when she was kidnapped by Michael Harris. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/frOKhnAxbd
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) July 26, 2017
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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.
She tells us she was trying to meet all the demands of Harris because he had a gun, was threatening. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/4BBAadge7B
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) July 26, 2017
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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.
"He had that panicked look" is how the victim describes the ordeal when the suspect approached her with a gun. @ActionNewsJax
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) July 26, 2017
He told me to get in the car and drive.. says the woman who was carjacked during police shooting. I'm live at 10. @ActionNewsJax
— Larry Spruill Jr (@LarryWDIVLocal4) July 27, 2017
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