UPDATE: Detectives have identified the victim found inside the Imeca Lumber business as 23-year-old Eduardo P. Rodriguez. The suspect responsible for his killing and the gun battle with officers was identified as 31-year-old Justin D. Long.
Original Post:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A suspect was killed and two Gainesville police officers were wounded Wednesday morning after what authorities described as an ambush-style attack during a shots-fired response in a busy commercial corridor near East University Avenue.
According to the Gainesville Police Department, officers were dispatched around 7:56 a.m. on January 14, 2026, to reports of shots fired in the 1300 block of East University Avenue. As officers arrived, they identified a suspect attempting to leave the area in a red vehicle.
Marked patrol units followed the vehicle, which stopped behind a KFC restaurant. Police Chief Nelson Moya said the suspect exited the car and immediately opened fire on officers in what he described as an ambush. Officers returned fire during what police called a violent exchange of gunfire. The suspect was struck and pronounced dead at the scene.
Two officers were injured in the shooting and transported to Shands Hospital. One officer suffered a gunshot wound to the lower extremity and the other to the upper extremity. Both are expected to make full recoveries.
As the investigation unfolded, detectives traced the suspect’s movements to a nearby business, Imeca Lumber & Hardware. Inside the lumber yard, officers discovered a deceased individual who had been shot. Investigators believe the suspect parked behind the KFC earlier that morning, walked to the business, killed the victim, and then returned to the area before the police encounter.
Chief Moya said the scene was chaotic, unfolding during morning rush hour traffic in a heavily traveled area. He became visibly emotional while discussing the wounded officers, thanking their families for “their heroism and their actions, which not only neutralized someone intent on committing murder, but ensured the safety of the public.”
A dual investigation is underway. Gainesville police detectives are investigating the homicide at the lumber yard, while the officer-involved shooting is being handled by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office assisted by handling additional calls for service during the incident. Federal agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, also responded.
The suspect has been identified by investigators, but the name has not been released. Police said the motive for the killing at the lumber yard remains unknown, though Chief Moya said the assailant “acted with clear intent.”
In a statement, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office expressed support for Gainesville officers. “Our hearts are with our friends at the Gainesville Police Department after two officers were shot while responding to a shots-fired call,” the statement said. “We are grateful to hear that both officers are recovering.”
Authorities said additional details will be released as the investigations continue.
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