JSO Officer fatally shoots suspect after deadly stabbing incident in Lake Forest area
Update: 8/7/2023
The suspect has been identified as Juan L. Johnson. JSO has also identified the weapon he used to stab James Hoffman and his dog.
Original story:
A Jacksonville police officer shot and killed a suspect following a deadly stabbing incident that occurred in the Lake Forest area.
The incident took place along Pickett Street around 3:38 p.m. Monday, where a man was found stabbed to death in the front yard of a residence. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and located the suspect in the nearby bushes.
According to Director Mark Romano of JSO, the officer repeatedly instructed the suspect to show his hands, but the suspect failed to comply and instead assumed what JSO reported as an aggressive stance.
The officer attempted to subdue the suspect using a Taser, but the attempt was unsuccessful. The suspect then grabbed a large metal bucket and allegedly charged toward the officer, prompting the officer to open fire multiple times, striking the suspect.
The injured suspect was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The victim was identified as James Hoffman by his roommate, Josephine Bowlus.
Bowlus recounted the events leading up to the tragic incident stating, “Sitting on the front porch talking... me and James and a guy came in the driveway. I asked him what he wanted, and he hit me, I went down.”
When Hoffman attempted to intervene, the suspect turned violent and fatally stabbed him.
“James ran out and he just started stabbing him and killed him. Then he killed my little chihuahua, killed my dog. Cut his throat and killed him,” Bowlus stated to Action News Jax.
Despite the heart-wrenching loss of her roommate and her dog, Bowlus expressed gratitude for Hoffman’s courageous actions.
“He’s a hero, he died a hero,” Bowlus said tearfully.
JSO reported that the suspect and the victim knew each other in some capacity, though Bowlus insisted they didn’t know him.
The officer involved in the incident sustained minor injuries when the suspect struck him with the metal bucket. He is expected to recover.
This marks the ninth officer-involved shooting in Jacksonville this year.
The State Attorney’s Office has initiated an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the use of lethal force.
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