The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is delving into the circumstances surrounding a shooting involving their officers, which resulted in the death of 62-year-old Jose Cabrera. The incident unfolded when Cabrera allegedly approached officers wielding a knife during the early hours of Friday.
The officers, who were on their initial solo patrol, responded to a distress call related to armed domestic violence late Thursday at about 10:10 p.m. Reports indicate that Cabrera had been brandishing a knife, threatening the victim with ominous statements about their fate that night.
Upon arrival, the officers discovered that Cabrera had already left the scene. They managed to converse with the victim and subsequently communicate with Cabrera over the phone.
“The suspect expressed his refusal to return to prison, stating that the officers would have to end his life,” revealed Undersheriff Shawn Coarsey.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the victim suggested that Cabrera might have headed to a relative’s residence. Following this lead, officers tracked him to the 7800 block of Fox Tail Lane around 12:30 a.m. Friday, where they identified the vehicle Cabrera was purportedly using.
JSO said the victim told officers that Cabrera likely went to a family member’s house and officers responded Friday morning at approximately 12:30 a.m. to the 7800 block of Fox Tail Lane where they spotted the vehicle that Cabrera was reportedly driving.
Officers approached and found Cabrera sitting in the vehicle and they instructed him to exit. Officers noticed as he was exiting, he was holding a large knife. They instructed him to leave the knife and Cabrera did not comply.
“He asked him to step out,” said Sheriff T.K. Waters. “When he grabbed a knife, he said, don’t grab that. He did it anyway. When you’re advancing toward a police officer with a knife, the result is going to end up pretty much like it is.”
According to JSO, he began to aggressively approach the officers, saying they would have to shoot him. Officers tried to create space, but Cabrera reportedly kept advancing. The officers then fired several times striking Cabrera. JSO says the officers immediately began life-saving measures performing CPR.
Cabrera was then taken into custody and transported to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Cabrera’s son, Joseph Cabrera, says it was a slew of gunshots outside his window that brought him to the door to see his father lying on the ground surrounded by officers.
“When I opened my door, I call him, ‘Dad, Dad, Dad,’ but he didn’t move at all,” said Cabrera.
Cabrera’s daughter says her father had documented issues with his mental health.
“He has his good days and bad days, but mental illness means there’s nothing for sure,” said Adlin Cabrera.
Cabrera said they’re reaching out to a lawyer to look at JSO’s handling of the incident.
“I break right now,” said Joseph Cabrera. “I say, ‘Why you shoot my dad? Why you kill him? Why you shoot him?”
“His action caused that reaction,” said Waters. “It’s unfortunate. We don’t want to see it happening.”
JSO said the State Attorney’s Office is conducting an independent investigation.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said all three responding officers were working their first solo patrol shift when the shooting occurred.
This marks the fifth officer-involved shooting this year and the second this week for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
