CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — A woman is in the hospital, and the Clay County Sheriff's Office is investigating after a deputy-involved shooting Tuesday morning.
Sheriff Michelle Cook said around 10:40 a.m. Tuesday, deputies were notified about a woman believed to be suffering from a mental health crisis.
Deputies found the woman's vehicle information via the Clay County license plate reader system, and discovered the woman was traveling from the Oakleaf area and driving toward Middleburg.
Cook said a Sheriff's Office sergeant located the woman's vehicle and she started to drive recklessly, veering into oncoming traffic and running a red light.
After a pursuit, the woman pulled over inside a local cemetery, located at 3601 Old Jennings Road.
Cook said the sergeant attempted to de-escalate the situation by talking with the woman.
At least two other deputies in the area also responded to assist the sergeant. Cook said the woman was a family friend of one of the responding deputies.
At some point, she told deputies she had a gun.
Cook said the woman then started to drink from a bottle of alcohol she had in her vehicle.
The woman fired one shot inside her vehicle and then another shot in the direction of the responding deputies, according to Cook.
At least three deputies returned gunfire, Cook said, and believe the woman was hit. It is unclear how many shots were fired by deputies.
Cook noted that investigators are working to learn if the woman's apparent gunshot wound derived from the initial shot fired inside the woman's vehicle, or if it was from deputies returning fire. The woman's wounds are non-life-threatening.
Cook said at least three deputies were involved in the shooting. No deputies were injured.
The deputies called for more assistance from negotiators and SWAT while continuing efforts to de-escalate the situation.
The deputy who knew the woman asked her what could get her to surrender. The woman responded saying she wanted a pack of cigarettes, Cook said.
"Using a shield, a ballistic shield, they approached her vehicle and dropped off a pack of cigarettes," said Cook.
As the woman got out of the vehicle to get the cigarettes, deputies used a non-lethal bean bag round to immobilize her. The woman was then tackled and taken into custody.
Clay County Fire Rescue was already at the scene and started treating the woman's injuries, ultimately taking her to HCA Orange Park Hospital.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney's Office were called as a result of the shooting.
Cook said an investigation will determine if the woman will face charges.
At the time of this incident, Tynes Elementary School went on lockdown out of an abundance of caution. The cemetery is a half mile away from the school. No students or staff were ever in any danger.