Jacksonville police arrest man who walked into a car wash, started loading gun

Car Spa employees say a man walked into their shop and pulled out a loaded gun.

Off of busy Atlantic Boulevard, several armed police officers surrounded Car Spa, looking for a man who employees say walked in and pulled out a loaded gun Friday night.

“I actually saw him with the gun, just like, slowly loading it.  A lot of people in there with kids; he was about to do something,” said Tyler King.

King and Ronaldo Rodriguez, employees at Car Spa, said they were trying to keep everyone calm.

“Stay calm, there’s a loaded gun in the building,” King said.

But that was difficult, even for King and Rodriguez, because they didn’t know what the armed man was going to do next.

“He literally had his gun out where everyone can see, and he was just loading it,” said King.

“I see him literally look at both of us and pointing the gun out,” Rodriguez said.

They say the man didn’t threaten anyone. He didn’t even demand anything. He didn’t fire the gun, but employees said they think he had bad intentions.

“He -- he was ready,” said Rodriguez.

Within minutes, police were able to make a quick arrest without anyone getting hurt.

“We got families. We want to go home,” Rodriguez said.

Police were seen taking the man into custody. No one was hurt.

Cox Media Group