A 53-year-old woman is hospitalized and in critical condition following an exchange of gunfire with Jacksonville officers last night, as reported by First Coast News. The incident, which occurred in the 12000 block of Moose Road, began when the woman's husband discovered her in a running vehicle inside a closed garage, purportedly in the midst of a suicide attempt.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO), the woman had a towel over her head and, upon her husband's intervention, she closed the door again and brandished a gun. He retreated to a neighbor's house to call 911, as stated in a report by First Coast News. Officers arrived at the scene to find the woman seated on a bench across the street, where she fired "about three or four times" towards them, necessitating a response, JSO Chief Alan Parker conveyed.
The response by law enforcement resulted in the woman being struck multiple times in the torso and legs by the six officers' return fire. The names of the officers involved have been released as Brendon Johns, Anthony Mariotti, Zachary Poole, Jordan Gay, Daniel Veres, and Maurice Brown, who have all been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), which is standard protocol in such incidents.
Neighbors were caught in the crossfire, with one house and, another's car being hit by bullets—fortunately, none of the residents were injured. Denise James, a resident living nearby described the aftermath to News4Jax, "I am just in shock over it," and added, "It is traumatic for everybody around here. It affects so many people when these types of things happen.” The woman is expected to face multiple charges once recovered.
While the community reels from the violence, JSO Chief Parker noted on First Coast News that the woman has been grappling with "some neurological issues," which worsened since a car crash a year ago. In these moments of crisis, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can provide much-needed support and can be reached 24/7 by calling 988, with further options available for online or text messaging communication.
