Woman hospitalized after Clay sheriff says she fired at deputies and sustained gunshot wound
A woman was taken to the hospital after sustaining injuries during a deputy-involved shooting in Middleburg Tuesday morning.
According to Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook, the woman shot at deputies first.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Cook told Action News Jax the situation began after sheriff’s deputies responded to calls around 10:40 a.m. of a woman suspected to be suffering from a mental health crisis.
Cook said after locating her vehicle, they followed her as she drove erratically before coming to a stop at the Holly Hill Memorial Park Cemetary.
There, Cook said, deputies, including one who knew the woman personally, attempted to de-escalate the situation.
It was during that time Cook said the woman fired one shot inside her vehicle and another round at the deputies.
READ: Clay County Sheriff’s Office responding to deputy-involved shooting in Middleburg
After the woman fired, Cook said deputies returned fire and called negotiators and the SWAT team to the scene.
While awaiting their arrival, the deputy who knew the woman, continued trying to speak to her according to Sheriff Cook.
Cook said the woman asked for a pack of cigarettes, which deputies dropped off to her under the cover of a ballistic shield.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
When the woman exited the vehicle to grab the cigarettes, Cook said deputies used a ballistic bean bag and were able to subdue her.
That’s when Cook said deputies realized the woman had sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and had her transported to Orange Park Medical Center for treatment.
Cook said it’s unclear at this point what charges the woman may face and her identity is not yet being released.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
As for the deputy who knew the woman as a family friend, Cook told Action News Jax he did his job.
“He’s talking to a friend and a friend has fired a gunshot towards him and his other deputies that are on scene. And, you know, that’s Clay County. We are still a small town in many ways, and we know a lot of the people we interact with. And I think he is pretty shook up, but he’s there to do his job,” said Cook.
Sheriff Cook said no one else was injured during the incident Tuesday morning and that more details will be released as the investigation progresses.
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
