Strange incident at Jacksonville Gate gas station ends with deadly officer-involved shooting

A man was shot and killed Thursday after police said he came toward an officer while armed with a knife, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

The suspect, Jerry Marrero, 38, was identified in a press conference held Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m.

JSO said in the conference that Marrero had a lengthy criminal record including assault and battery, breach of peace, sexual assault, violation of probation and kidnapping.

Prior to the shooting, police said Marrero entered the convenience store of the Gate gas station off Emerson Street near I-95 in Jacksonville, armed with the knife.

PHOTOS: Man armed with knife shot, killed by Jacksonville officer

A Gate employee called police at 6:51 a.m. Thursday to report Marrero in the store with the knife and said he was being threatening.

Police said he began to walk around the store, saying unintelligible things.

The man then reportedly poured a liquid on the ground and employees thought he was going to try and set it on fire, police said.

JSO said the suspect walked behind the cash register, barricading employees.

Employees and customers evacuated the store as the officers arrived.

Marrero was told by an officer to put the knife down, but police said he refused, and according to police told the officer he wasn't allowed to draw a gun on him because he, the suspect, only had a knife.

According to police, Marrero placed the knife in his front right pocket with the blade still open and as he went to kneel on the ground like the officer asked, Marerro sprang up, reached into his pocket and made a movement toward the officer with the knife.

Officer RC Santoro, a 21-year veteran on the force, shot the man six times, JSO said.

He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Santoro has been placed on administrative leave as protocol.

JSO says this is the third officer-involved shooting of which Santoro has been a part.

Investigators are working to learn how many shots were fired.

Santoro was not wearing a body camera, but there is surveillance video inside the convenience store, police said.

JSO now has video and audio surveillance from the gas stations.

No officers were injured, according to JSO.

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