Accused stabber grabs bucket, charges at police before officer fatally shoots him, JSO says

Staff, News4JAX

Aleesia Hatcher, Multimedia Journalist

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A suspected armed stabber died Sunday afternoon after police said he charged at an officer who fatally shot him in the Lake Forest neighborhood, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said.

JSO responded to a reported stabbing incident just before 4:30 p.m. and found a man stabbed to death in the front yard of a home on Pickett Street near Edgewood Avenue, which prompted a search for the stabber.

JSO said the man was armed with a knife.

The alleged stabber was found lying in the bushes of a front yard and a dog was also found fatally stabbed near the same area, police said.

According to JSO, an officer told the man to “show his hands” multiple times. The man did not comply with the officer’s demands and instead, aggressively stood up, JSO said.

The officer used a stun gun on the man but that did not stop him from grabbing a large metal bucket and running toward the officer.

The officer then fired several rounds, striking the man. JSO did not say how many times the man was hit. First aid was administered before paramedics arrived at the scene to take the man to the hospital, where he died.

The officer suffered a minor injury to the arm.

Police believe the alleged stabber and the stabbing victim knew each other.

The State Attorney’s Office is investigating.

This was the ninth officer-involved shooting this year.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.