This officer-involved shooting resulted in the death of 20-year-old Jamari Akins.

At 8 a.m. the day of the shooting, Akins entered a business on Soutel Drive near Norfolk Boulevard. He wore a mask to conceal his face and used his clothing to conceal a gun. Minutes after entering the store, Akins pulled his gun out and threatened to shoot the store clerk if she didn’t give him money. The clerk handed Akins approximately $100 in cash, and Akins left the business. During the robbery, the clerk managed to call for police assistance and patrol officers were dispatched immediately to the business.
 
As Akins ran from the business, Officer Mercado and Officer Swinton arrived. Both officers saw Akins, who matched the store clerk's description of the armed robber, running towards Norfolk Boulevard. Officer Mercado pursued Akins, first in his marked patrol car then on foot. While running after Akins, Officer Mercado yelled numerous commands to stop. While fleeing from the officer, Akins was actively attempting to access his pockets and waist area even discarding loose cash in the process.

The officer tackled Akins to the ground. While they were on the ground, Akins rolled his body to the side, pulled out his handgun, and shot Officer Mercado in the thigh. Officer Mercado returned fire, striking Akins twice. Then, the officer immediately called for help and began self-administering medical aid, outfitting himself with a tourniquet. 
 
Assisting officers and paramedics arrived quickly on scene to transport Officer Mercado and Akins to a local hospital, where Akins was pronounced deceased.
 
The State Attorney’s Office will independently review the incident to assess the legality of the officer’s actions. Once that is complete, JSO will conduct an internal review to ensure the officer acted within policy. Then, a Response to Resistance Board will convene, and the findings will be submitted to the Sheriff for final review. JSO is releasing this in the interest of transparency. Conclusions on the incident remain pending.