The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office responded to a fatal officer-involved shooting in the Arlington area on Tuesday.
One suspect was killed and no officers were injured, according to JSO.
Police say that the incident happened near the Harvey's Supermarket on South Arlington Road, just west of Atlantic Boulevard at 3:54 a.m.
It's at that time that a JSO officer noticed a four-door pickup truck backed up against the bushes outside of the Harveys Supermarket across the Arlington Road. Believing this activity to be suspicious, the officer approached the truck.
Inside the car, the officer observed a male occupant lying down in the back seat of the truck who then jumped up into the driver's seat of the vehicle after the officer made contact. The officer pulled the man's name up and it came back with a hit as having a felony sexual battery warrant from another jurisdiction, according to police.
Officers say that they asked him to step out of the truck he refused their demands and became non-compliant. Police say he eventually rolled up his windows and locked the doors in the truck.
Backup officers arrived and continued with their dialogue with the suspect who eventually jumped back into the back seat of the truck, they say. An officer broke out the window and tased the man which had no impact.
According to JSO, one of the officers was able to get the driver side door open and they observed the man with a gun in his hand rolling over toward the officers. A total of six officers are believed to have fired for a suspect who was struck by multiple rounds at approximately 4:18 a.m.
25 minutes into this incident, rescue responded and pronounced the suspect deceased.
Officers say they continuing to actively work the scene with their investigators at the crime scene.
Several of the surrounding business owners told First Coast News they lost a day’s worth of business because of the crime scene.
They say at most, they deal with burglaries in that area, not deadly shootings. Like many people who live in the area, they want to know more about the suspect and why he was there, but JSO has no released that information yet.
Former detective Mark Baughman says there are times when a taser doesn’t work, like in this instance with JSO.
“For example, it would have to be a thick coat for the taser to not go through, and of course, if there was an alcohol or narcotics substance used, it could deaden the senses,” said Baughman. “They gave verbal commands, they tried non-lethal force, they did everything to try and extract that individual.”
JSO says an officer was able to open the door and saw the man holding a gun rolling toward them on the seat.
“At this point with the officers they had no choice but to take lethal action against him with their firearms.”
Baughman says it’s a blessing officers noticed him first.
“Imagine if there was an early morning employee who came across this individual who was armed and not willing to be compliant, who knows what they would have done to an innocent party.”