PALATKA, Fla. — The Palatka Police Department has identified the suspect who drove into a crowd at a Palatka block party Saturday night as 36-year-old La’zayus Bartley of Palatka.
The department says that the city-approved block party abruptly ended around 8 p.m. Saturday night after the suspect hit multiple people and cars.
Police say that the suspect then ran away and was involved in a crash with a Palatka Police cruiser.
They say Bartley returned a few moments later, and crashed into additional people and cars.
Palatka Police says that during the incident, officers began shooting to “stop the threat and protect the public.”
They say Bartley is in the hospital getting treated for his injuries and is expected to make a full recovery.
Although police say the criminal investigation is still active, Bartley currently faces felony charges of aggravated battery and aggravated fleeing and eluding with injuries. They say more charges are to come.
Once booked, police say he’ll be held on a $300,000 bond.
Bonnie McComiskey, who says she’s attended the block party all four years it’s been happening, says that she has never seen any violence there.
“There’s never been any violence, nothing,” McComiskey said. “I would never take my one and only child if it were dangerous at all.”
She says that attending the block party has become a tradition for her and her friend, Jazz.
“The ones speaking online that have never been to one have no clue what they’re talking about,” McComiskey said. “Absolutely none.”
A Facebook post from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office shows that the City of Palatka approved this block party; however, they say the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office was not made aware.
Palakta Police say that the two officers who fired their guns have been put on administrative leave pending the results of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s investigation, which they say is protocol.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
