JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has identified the robbery suspect killed Tuesday night near a Westside apartment complex.
According to JSO, Darian Q. Bryant, 26, was killed after they said he fired a shot during a struggle with police.
The shooting happened sometime before 9 p.m. at Westwood Apartments in the 1100 block of Lane Avenue South.
According to JSO Chief of Investigations T.K. Waters, officers responded to a robbery call outside a business in the 5800 block of Normandy Boulevard at about 6:44 p.m. When officers arrived three minutes later, the victim pointed them in the direction that the suspect, identified as Bryant, ran.
Officers briefly spoke to the robbery victim then spotted Bryant, following him to Westwood Apartments, Waters said.
According to Waters, police lost track of Bryant , who they believe went into an apartment, and began a search that lasted about 45 minutes. A witness later told police Bryant did go into an apartment, and officers set up outside calling for him to come out.
Waters said Bryant later came out after repeated orders with his hands up. When police approached him, Waters said Bryant began to pace back and forth, refusing JSO's order to come to the officers.
According to Waters, as police approached Bryant, he ran again on foot. JSO followed the him both on foot and in a vehicle.
"He ran toward a fence. When he tried to jump the fence, as one of the patrol officers tried to cut him off with the vehicle, he fell back down onto the car, then jumped over the fence," Waters said.
According to Waters, officers followed Bryant over the fence, prompting a struggle between at least two JSO officers and Bryant. He fired one shot during the struggle and police returned fire, striking Bryant, Waters said.
JSO says Bryant was armed with the handgun pictured below.
According to Waters, Bryant was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers were hurt during the incident. The victim of the robbery was also not hurt.
Two officers are on administrative leave. There were several other officers on the scene that were not involved in the shooting, Waters said.
The Florida State Attorney's Office is investigating the shooting.