The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office gave new details Sunday regarding Friday's deadly officer-involved shooting in which the now-deceased suspect sprayed wasp killer into the face of a police officer at a Northside Walmart.
JSO Chief T.K. Waters said police were called to the Walmart at 13277 City Square Dr. in reference to a disturbance at 10:40 p.m. Friday.
Once that disturbance was handled peacefully, Waters said the responding officer, Officer S. Doreseliun, was approached by an employee regarding a man reportedly causing another disturbance.
Employees told Doreseliun the suspect, Bruce William Clark, 37, was being "aggressive and making employees feel uncomfortable," according to Waters.
Waters said employees reportedly asked Clark to leave, but he refused.
A security guard at the store told Doreseliun to be careful because the suspect had been seen armed previously inside the store, Waters said.
When Doreseliun approached the suspect on the sidewalk outside the store, the suspect was reportedly crouching down with one of his hands out of view.
That was when Waters said Clark turned around and sprayed Doreseliun in the face and body with wasp/hornet spray. Clark was also armed with a 15-inch baton and knife, according to police.
Doreseliun then fired three rounds from his weapon and the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
"In these types of situations when an officer leaves or an officer approaches someone, and once he becomes incapacitated, that encounter becomes an armed encounter for both individuals," Waters said. "Officer Doreseliun, knowing that, reverted back to his training and had to use deadly force in this situation."
The officer was unharmed. He is on administrative leave, per JSO policy.
According to crime analyst Mark Baughman, the officer had to make a split-second decision.
"In this case, it may have saved his life what he had done," Baughman said. "We'll never know that, but we know that the officer did what he had to do to protect himself. If the officer articulates it and says, 'Hey, I was in fear for my life and I did what I had to do to protect my life or the life of another,' that usually warrants deadly force, and I'm sure the officer felt that way in this incident."
Doreseliun has worked with JSO for three-and-a-half years and this is his first officer-involved shooting, Waters said.
Waters said Clark's record locally includes two Baker Acts. In Maine, Clark's record includes carrying a concealed weapon, resisting arrest, theft, DUI and violation of probation.
Doreseliun had not been issued a bodycam at the time of the incident.
