A nationwide manhunt is underway following the shooting of off-duty corrections officer Bradley McNew from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at a Northside truck stop. McNew died from gunshot wounds sustained in an early morning altercation on Duval Road. Sheriff T.K. Waters described him as "He’s the epitome of a public servant to me, he could have ignored it but he didn’t," according to a statement obtained by First Coast News.
The incident unfolded early in the morning on Saturday at around 1:20 a.m, involving a black Mustang with a North Carolina license plate RHL4285 according to police, the male suspect, after a violent argument with a woman placed a handgun on the car hood and later shot McNew multiple times when the officer, who had just completed his shift. This incident is the first time a Jacksonville sheriff's officer has been killed since 1995. McNew was taken to a local hospital, where he later died, as reported by News4Jax.
As mentioned by Action News Jax, surveillance footage shows the suspect attacking the woman before pointing the gun at McNew, recognizing the situation as "family business." After the suspect got back in the car with the woman, shots were fired from the Mustang, fatally wounding Officer McNew. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is warning the public not to approach the suspect, who is considered armed and dangerous, and to call law enforcement immediately if spotted.
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan expressed condolences stating, "My heart is with the family of Officer Bradley McNew and the entire JSO community after he was taken from them so suddenly and tragically last night. Jacksonville will always be grateful for the heroism he showed while off duty and for his 24 years of service to our city," Sheriff Waters, in a social media statement, as stated by First Coast News.
