Florida school police shoot ax-wielding man trying to enter elementary school

A school police officer in Jacksonville shot an ax-wielding man who tried and failed to enter an elementary school after police caught up with him, and he refused to drop his weapon.

Duval County Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene told News 4 Jax that the incident occurred around 2:48 p.m. on Friday, and Ruth N. Upson Elementary School went into lockdown when the man approached the school. A school safety assistant initially turned the man back and followed him a short distance but did not leave the campus in order to ensure that the school remained secure, Burton told reporters. 

“Police officers from the Duval County School Police Department were on the way. As the subject then left the school, he made his way towards a church where he was then encountered by the police officers,” DCPS Police Chief Greg Burton said. 

“As the subject came towards one of the police officers, the officers gave him verbal warnings to drop the ax, kept giving him verbal warnings to drop the ax,” Burton continued. 

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The man did not comply and instead threatened the officer, which prompted the officer to shoot “at least one time.” The man was in critical condition following the confrontation. 

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Families received two notifications regarding the incident as it occurred: The first message informed families that the school initiated its lockdown procedures due to a “suspicious person allegedly carrying an axe outside of the school,” but that all students and staff were safe. The second message informed parents that the school had “lifted the code red for dismissal.” 

Mayor Lenny Curry tweeted out an update to say he had been in contact with Greene and that he was “grateful everyone at the school is safe and headed home with their families.”