Florida Officer Shot 6 Times, Survives, Shoots And Kills Suspect

[CPDlife4ME]

Posted: Monday, January 28, 2008
Updated: January 28th, 2008 09:52 AM PDT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --

A suspected shoplifting incident at an area mall turned fatal Saturday evening when an off-duty officer was shot in the face, leg and chest.

According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, the wounded officer managed to return fire, killing the suspect.

The incident began at the Belk store in the Regency Square Mall, where Officer Jared Reston and Officer Chris Brown were working security.

At about 7:45 p.m., Belk loss prevention officers noticed two people they thought were shoplifting and alerted the police officers that they were planning to confront the suspects.

The suspects, 19-year-old Christopher Smith and 18-year-old Joel Abner, resisted security and the police officers intervened, according to police.

Security was able to detain Smith, but Abner took off across the mall parking lot and across the Arlington Expressway, leading Reston on a foot pursuit to the 9400 block of Atlantic Boulevard.

Police said at that point, Abner had refused the officer's commands to stop, but pulled a gun and started shooting at the officer. Joel Abner

"The witness describes the suspect as literally jumping around the officers, standing over him, shooting him while he's laying on the ground. The officer is described by the witness as trying to dodge the shooting that the suspect is doing, and he gets shots back in an effort to defend himself," Undersheriff Frank Mackesy said in a news conference on the day after the shooting. "He then has the presence of mind to get up, and they become engaged in a physical confrontation, during which there's shooting going on."

Mackesy said a total of 26 shots were fired, 12 by Abner, who hit the officer six times, and 14 by Reston, who hit the suspect seven times.

"We know that multiple shots hit him in the chest. Fortunately, he was wearing a bullet-proof vest," Mackesy said. "The officer did have an opportunity, after being fired upon, to return fire, and the suspect is dead."

According to the undersheriff, Abner was using a semi-automatic .45 glock that was found at the scene to have been fired until empty.

"It was a pretty violent scene. We're fortunate the officer isn't dead," Undersheriff Frank Mackesy said. "It was a fight for life and they were in close-quarter combat." Christopher Smith made his first appearance before a judge Sunday on charges of petit theft and opposing a retail merchant.

He said a stolen shirt was found stuffed into Smith's pants and that Abner was wearing a pair of stolen jeans underneath his own pants.

"What turned out to be a simple shoplifting encounter ended up with an officer in a fight for his life," Mackesy said.

Reston is a 5-year veteran with the force.

Police officers showed up at Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center Saturday night to support Reston, who was shot in the face and leg in addition to the multiple gunshots that hit his bulletproof vest. He suffered a broken jaw, which required immediate surgery.

Reston was in critical condition Sunday afternoon.

"Our hope and our prayer is that he's going to have a complete recovery," Mackesy said.

Atlantic Boulevard between Arlington Expressway and Southside Boulevard was closed by the police investigation just after the shooting and was closed for several hours.

Copyright 2008 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Coastie 585]

Incredible,

Shows that this officer KNEW that today was NOT his last day on earth.

Praying that the recovery goes smooth.

[Wolfman]

I wish him a speedy recovery, and great job not quitting until the fight was done.

[North Patrol]

Great to hear that the Officer won.

And on a side note, who ever wrote the article needs to try proof reading it first. :eek:

[magicman]

HOLY SH!T! Glad to hear the officer is ok and I wish him a speedy recovery. All of this over a shirt and a pair of pants. :mad:

[christrue]

I wish him a speedy recovery, and great job not quitting until the fight was done.

So too I!

[mcsap]

Wow! Never give up the fight !

[normal1]

Great job.. godspeed and a speedy recovery.

[highwayman]

HOLY SH!T! Glad to hear the officer is ok and I wish him a speedy recovery. All of this over a shirt and a pair of pants. :mad:

Speedy recovery as well for the officer.
I've seen some LP's chase shoplifters out on the parking lot and down two blocks (they were not supposed to) with the Police and all the guy had was a CD-rom disc on him.

[bluelightzgrl]

Wow!!
Wish him a speedy recovery.


Then someone needs to give him an application for IACP/DuPont™ Kevlar Survivors' Club.

[Aussie George]

Good job.

Obviously that crook really wanted that t-shirt. Hope he gets buried in it!:rolleyes:

[musclefan21]

great job! i wish a very fast complete recovery!

[WellAdvised]

Great example of the mindset required to survive. Hope his recovery is speedy.

[christrue]

Hope he gets buried in it!

:D!

[shrubs82]

My girlfriend was actually in the best buy across the street when that happened. Her and her mom were picking out our new dishwasher when they heard a bunch of bangs, they figured it was a car accident, and when they came out of the starbucks next door there were already 25 units on the scene. It was definitly a site to see and absolutly wish that officer a full and speedy recovery, according to the local news he had a nasty broken jaw.