The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is investigating a police-involved shooting near an apartment complex in Mandarin Wednesday night where the suspect has died.
JSO says an officer fired two shots at a suspect after the man pointed a gun at the officer while running away. He was later found dead inside a nearby apartment breezeway.
Police say the incident began around 9 p.m. when a female employee of Bite Squad, a food delivery service, was making a delivery to the Mandarin Apartments at 4263 Lasco Rd.
After the delivery, the woman says she was walking to her car when she was confronted by a white male holding a silver handgun. She says he then robbed her.
After she complied with the robbery, the man ran away from the scene.
Police say the woman then went to a nearby Walmart where she informed the security guard, an off-duty officer, what had just occurred.
The officer then broadcasted the robbery incident and suspect characteristics to officers in the area over the radio.
Several nearby officers began searching the area for the suspect.
Around 9:30 p.m., JSO says an officer was driving his marked car through St. Augustine at the Lake apartments when he saw a man matching the description of the robbery suspect.
After stopping his vehicle to make contact with the suspect who was on foot, the suspect ran away. As he was running, the officer says the suspect pointed his gun at the officer and that's when the officer fired two shots at the suspect. He was unsure if his bullets struck the suspect, as the suspect continued to flee.
At 9:45 p.m., police say local residents of a nearby building called 9-1-1 saying they found a man lying in the breezeway of their apartment building with a gun. Police arrived and identified him as the same suspect in the robbery and shooting.
Officers and an ICU-trained nurse who lives in the complex began applying medical aid to suspect until JFRD arrived. Upon arrival, JFRD determined the suspect died at the scene.
JSO says the officer that fired shots at the suspect was not wearing a body camera. He has been placed on administrative leave, per JSO's standard policy.
Police concluded the briefing by saying they see an increase in crime during the holiday season, calling it 'crimes of opportunity' for criminals.
JSO will hold a more detailed press conference Thursday where they will identify the police officer involved in the shooting and hopefully the identification of the deceased suspect.
This is the second deadly officer-involved shooting in Jacksonville today.
According to First Coast News records, there have been six JSO-involved shootings in 2018. Of the six, four have been fatal.