JACKSONVILLE, Florida – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office released video and additional details Friday regarding an officer-involved shooting that followed a lengthy standoff on San Pablo Road South earlier this month.
According to investigators, the incident occurred May 6 and resulted in injuries to 37-year-old Samuel Waters Jr.
Authorities said Waters was later arrested on multiple charges, including aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting a law enforcement officer with violence.
Police said the incident began after Waters’ family contacted the sheriff’s office requesting officers serve him with an ex parte court order. Family members told dispatchers Waters was living out of his truck in a parking lot on San Pablo Road South.
When officers arrived, they located the truck but said Waters had blocked visibility into the vehicle using a sun visor and other objects. Officers repeatedly ordered Waters to exit the vehicle, but he refused, according to investigators.
Authorities said Waters later contacted family members by phone and told them he was armed with a firearm. Family members then informed police that Waters appeared paranoid and believed officers intended to kill him.
Officers from the department’s Behavioral Crisis Response Unit responded and attempted to negotiate with Waters for several hours. Because Waters was reportedly armed and barricaded inside the truck, the sheriff’s office SWAT and Crisis Negotiation units were also called to the scene.
Police said the standoff lasted approximately five hours.
At about 7:15 p.m., SWAT officers deployed a specialized vehicle to introduce a chemical irritant into the truck in an effort to force Waters out of the vehicle.
According to investigators, Waters then crawled out of the rear window of the truck holding a handgun in one hand and a knife in the other. Authorities said Waters fired a gunshot toward officers.
In response, Sgt. Nauss, Detective White, Detective Hensley, Detective Vickers, Detective Ingham, and Detective Price fired their rifles, striking Waters.
Officers took Waters into custody and provided emergency medical treatment before he was transported to a hospital. Authorities said he was listed in stable condition at the time the video was released.
The sheriff’s office said the State Attorney’s Office will independently review the shooting to determine whether the officers’ actions were lawful. JSO will then conduct an internal administrative review to determine whether department policies were followed.