JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — JSO says a 30-year-old man is in the hospital and charged with attempted murder after a shootout with officers. No officers were hurt, and JSO said they stunned the man with a taser.
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A woman’s house got shot up during the incident.
“I thought someone was banging, trying to get into the house, but it was shooting. I heard my daughter and son screaming and hollering, saying, ‘Mom someone is shooting in the house!’ So, my thought was my children,” Kiara Clay said.
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JSO Chief of Investigations T.K. Waters said a traffic stop for tinted windows turned into gunfire between the passenger of that car and JSO officers. Waters said the passenger, identified as convicted felon Demetrick Manning, tried running away from several JSO officers mid-stop and at one point, he turned around and shot 10 times at police, even hitting one officer’s car.
The officer shot back through the front windshield and Waters said they eventually got him to drop the gun, adding that Manning didn’t move far from it and tried moving toward his gun again. After loud, verbal commands, distracting and de-escalating the situation, Waters said they stunned him with a taser, and he was taken to the hospital.
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Waters said the angle the suspect shot at lines up with the home of Clay, who said at least two bullets went into her house.
“I’m thanking God because I don’t have to be out here planning a funeral. It could’ve been any of the children,” she said. “As a mother it’s terrifying: you come home thinking you’re about to relax or enjoy the day and you got to duck from bullets and no parent wants to experience that and no parent should have to go through anything like that.”
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Clay said she had five kids in the house at the time of the shooting and is hoping the violence in Jacksonville stops.
“My kids are shaken up, they’re like, ‘Mom this is a lot.’ They’ve never had to experience that,” she said. “It scared them a lot; this was a close call for them.”
JSO said the suspect had several outstanding warrants at the time of the traffic stop. No officers were hurt during the incident.
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