The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) has released details on the officer-involved shooting that occurred on November 1. The incident followed a sequence of events, including the theft of a vehicle and a subsequent police pursuit. The pursuit ended when the stolen vehicle crashed into a patrol car and a building on Myrtle Avenue, at which point multiple people ran. An officer pursued one of the suspects, and after the suspect allegedly failed to comply with orders to stop reaching into his pants, the officer fired multiple shots, injuring the man. The JSO is conducting a review of the officer's actions to ensure policy adherence.
On the day of the incident, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office received a report about a stolen black Kia Optima. This vehicle was soon allegedly involved in subsequent calls regarding a nearby hit-and-run and a shooting. At 6:27 p.m., a critical miscommunication occurred: a District 1 lieutenant mentioned over the District 1 radio that a Dodge Durango might also be involved in the shooting. This update was not relayed to other districts.
A citywide notification was issued for the stolen Kia, connecting it to both the earlier hit-and-run and shooting incidents. At 7:44 p.m., an officer located the Kia on West 13th Street and began a pursuit, which ended when the vehicle crashed into a patrol car. After the crash, the passenger of the Kia, identified as Knight, exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Officer Cahill pursued Knight and, upon catching up, discharged his firearm multiple times, injuring Knight.
The State Attorney's Office has finished its investigation and found that the officer did not break the law. Knight is now in stable condition at a local hospital. Body camera footage of the event has been released, but it contains graphic content, so viewers should use discretion. The JSO is still doing an internal review to check if the officer followed policy.
