A Florida police officer has shot dead a man who was seen holding a knife against a veteran in a wheelchair.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Chief of Investigations, T.K. Waters, praised the actions of Officer Tyler Landreville, describing how his "split second decision" to use deadly force saved the life of the victim.
Waters said that officers were called to reports of an armed aggravated assault on West State Street, near Florida State College, at around 11:20 p.m. on July 10.
Landreville arrived at the scene first, with witnesses pointing him in the direction of the attack. The officer then saw the suspect, 33-year-old Frankie Feliciano, holding a knife to the neck of the man in the wheelchair.
Waters said the officer gave a loud verbal command ordering the suspect to drop the knife, which he refused to do. Landreville then fired at Feliciano three times. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
"The officer's quick and decisive action saved the life of the victim, and the victim did receive a minor injury to his nose," Waters told reporters.
Waters said the time from when Landreville arrived at the scene to when he opened fire was around 35 seconds. Police confirmed the officer was wearing a bodycam at the time and the investigation into the shooting is still ongoing. Waters said police do not know what prompted Feliciano to hold the knife against the victim.
"I do want to stress this: Officers come to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and they work for the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, willing every single day to go out and to do the job that's necessary to protect the lives of the citizens of our community," Waters said in a press conference.
"This situation, this is a microcosm of what officers face every single day, the men and women of the Sheriff's Office. This decision, though not taken lightly, took place very, very quickly. That decision helped save the life of one of the members of our community."
Landreville has been with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for 16 years and this was his second officer involved shooting.
In 2016, Landreville killed 22-year-old Vernell Bing following a high-speed chase which also saw the suspect ramming his vehicle into the officer's patrol car head-on, reported Action News Jax. The State Attorney's Office ruled the shooting of Bing as justifiable in 2017.
Landreville has been placed on administrative leave following the latest shooting.
Waters said Feliciano had been arrested a number of times, most recently in February for an alleged aggravated battery with a lug wrench.
