In a shocking incident that unfolded on English Colony Drive in Mandarin, a man tragically lost his life while being transported in the back of a police cruiser, leading to a thorough investigation by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
The incident took place on English Colony Drive in Mandarin, where the police responded to reports of a man acting erratically and discharging his firearm. According to eyewitnesses, the man pointed the gun at a neighbor and fired several shots in his front yard before the officers arrived.
One witness, Matt Daly, who resides on English Colony Drive, described the chaotic situation, stating that the man was incoherent and kept pleading for help, claiming his wife was trying to kill him. Daly tried to intervene and disarm the suspect, but the man ran away, fired more shots, and rolled around on the ground.
Eventually, JSO decided to place the man in the back of a police cruiser. However, just ten minutes later, they found him slumped over. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) confirmed that he was experiencing a medical emergency. Despite being rushed to a local medical facility, the man’s condition worsened, and he was pronounced dead.
Daly sympathized with the officers, acknowledging their efforts to handle the situation appropriately. He noted that the officers had the air-conditioned police cruisers running to ensure the man’s comfort. A 40-caliber handgun was recovered at the scene, according to JSO.
Daly expressed shock at the events, stating that the man seemed mentally unstable, fighting imaginary people and firing shots at nonexistent targets. Remarkably, none of the shots fired by the man hit any objects in the vicinity.
JSO has announced that the medical examiner’s office will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of the man’s death. Action News Jax has reached out to JSO for a statement regarding the incident and is awaiting a response.
