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Man shot, killed by JSO officer on the Northside during stolen vehicle investigation

Police say the shooting happened at the Motel 6, 812 Dunn Ave., Jacksonville after an officer discovered a vehicle that was reported stolen.

A man was shot to death by a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office officer Wednesday morning after police discovered a stolen vehicle from Georgia on the Northside, according to JSO.

The shooting happened at the Motel 6, 812 Dunn Ave., Jacksonville around 10:15 a.m. One of the officers sustained injuries during an altercation with a suspect.

A patrol officer and a new recruit were in a marked car patrolling the area when they observed a red Chevy Cruze with the trunk popped open, but didn't see anyone around, said JSO Assistant Chief Scott Dingee during a news conference.

They pulled into the parking lot and the recruit ran the license plate number only to find that the tag was assigned to a different vehicle. The officer then checked the car's VIN number and found that the car was reported stolen on Dec. 7 out of Macon, Ga., Dingee said.

After police made this discovery, a woman came out of one of the motel rooms and approached the officers and told them that the vehicle belonged to her boyfriend, Dingee said. The new recruit tried to detain the woman, but she physically and verbally resisted, Dingee said.The officer was able to place the woman in handcuffs.

Police say a man carrying a black bag and unidentified object approached the officers. The patrol officer commanded the man to drop the bag, which he did about 5-feet away from the officers. That's when the officers noticed that the man was carrying a gun, Dingee said. The patrol officer then engaged in a brief physical struggle with the man.

Dingee said the man then shot at the patrol officer and the officer returned fire.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not yet identified him pending notification of his next of kin, Dingee said.

The officer and new recruit were put on administrative leave per protocol, Dingee said. JSO has not yet released the names of the officers.

Insight into what police officers are trained to do during police-involved shootings

'I thought it was a shootout': Witnesses recount aftermath of the shooting

Witnesses told First Coast News that they heard about eight shots, but only saw the aftermath of the shooting.

"I thought it was a shootout," Lasonia Kassim said. "I thought it was two people shooting ... I heard nothing, no yelling, no shouting, I just heard gunshots."

Kassim said she was three doors down from the incident. She said she walked out and saw the man dead on the ground. She also claims she saw officers kick the man before they handcuffed him.

"A man is on the ground on his stomach," the witness said. "An officer is kicking him. Another officer puts him in handcuffs. It's obvious the man is dead."

Another witness, Johntia Coley, said she heard the gunshots from the room she was staying in.

"We heard eight-or-nine shots ringing and I just balled up in the bed and started crying," Coley said. "I told my mama that somebody is dead."

Coley said her car was in the parking lot where the shooting happened and that she saw the man laying on the ground behind it.

"I was like, 'what did this man do to be shot that many times?,'" Coley said. "I've never seen a dead body before."

Police are in the process of interviewing witnesses and working to obtain surveillance video of the incident.

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