Body-worn camera video shows suspect throw bucket, charge at officer before being fatally shot
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday released body-worn camera video of what led up to the shooting of a man who police say stabbed another man and his dog.
The shooting happened Sunday, Aug. 6 in the 7600 block of Pickett Street. JSO said around 4:30 p.m. that day, officers got reports about a man wandering around the area with a knife.
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JSO posted the video on its YouTube page. You can watch it below. Warning: Viewer discretion is advised.
Police said Juan Johnson stabbed James Hoffman and his dog to death.
An officer got to the scene and saw a man dead on the ground and then saw Johnson lying in the grass near a brown building.
The officer pulled out his gun and shouted for Johnson to show his hands, but he didn’t listen. He then got up and ignored the officer’s commands to get back on the ground, so the officer switched from his gun to his Taser and fired it at Johnson.
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Johnson didn’t seem to be affected by the Taser and instead threw a metal bucket at the officer while charging forward. The officer then switched back to his gun while backing away and fired at Johnson.
Johnson was handcuffed and given emergency aid but later died at a local hospital.
Action News Jax law and safety expert Dale Carson said that if Johnson would have obeyed the officer’s commands, he likely would not have been shot.
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“An individual assailant has an immediate impact on the circumstances, to the extent that they want to attack, you do have to protect yourself, and others,” Carson said.
In releasing the video to the public, JSO said in part, “The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office does not draw any conclusions regarding whether the officer’s actions were appropriate with respect to the law and JSO’s policy until all of the facts are known, and the investigation has been completed.”
The release of the video is the ninth one of JSO’s “Critical Incident Briefings” released since Sheriff T.K. Waters took office in November. The agency has said the briefings are part of Waters’ commitment to transparency with the community.
JSO released a similar “critical incident briefing” in January released a similar “critical incident briefing” on a November officer-involved shooting.
In February, JSO issued a “critical incident briefing” on an officer-involved shooting that happened in January.
Also in February, JSO released video of a deadly officer-involved shooting that happened in January where an officer was also grazed by a bullet.
Again in February, body camera footage of an officer-involved shooting near the Duval-Nassau county line was released of an officer-involved shooting that happened near the Duval-Nassau county line.
In April, JSO issued a “critical incident briefing” of a suspect lunging to stab a JSO K-9 before being shot and killed by a Jacksonville officer.
In May, a “critical incident briefing” was issued on an April 18 incident outside of Baptist Medical Center South where an officer was shot and a suspect was killed.
In June, police issued a “critical incident briefing” on an officer-involved shooting that happened May 19. Zonchez Delarfette Prince, 39, a suspect wanted in South Florida murder, was shot, killed by JSO officers in Clay County. Prior to the shooting, police said Prince pointed a gun in their direction.
On July 25, JSO released a “critical incident briefing” on a shooting that happened on July 9 on Boney Road. Police said Timothy O’Donahue, 49, was taken to the hospital in critical condition after an shooting officer with an airsoft pistol and the officer fired back.
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