The incident resulted in the death of 53-year-old Robert Phillips. Had he survived his injuries, he would have been arrested on an outstanding warrant for theft as well as Attempted Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer. Phillips was also the suspect in a Murder and Attempted Murder that occurred earlier in the day.
 
Around 5:30 a.m., Phillips shot two people on Jacksonville’s Westside. The woman who was shot passed away from her injuries; the man who was shot was seriously injured. Homicide Unit detectives identified Phillips as the suspect and discovered his outstanding warrant for theft.
 
Homicide Unit detectives coordinated with the Community Problem Response Unit to track Phillips with the intent of arresting him. At 1:20 p.m., detectives discovered Phillips’ vehicle parked outside a home on Pond View Drive. The detectives continued to surveil the house for several hours until they saw Phillips leave the house and get into his car.
 
The Community Problem Response Unit detectives executed a planned tactical vehicle block of Phillips’ car at the intersection of Julington Creek Road and Sand Ridge Drive. While seated in the vehicle, Phillips armed himself with a handgun and fired two shots at the detectives. In response, at 3:21 p.m., Detective Whitmar, Detective Prescott, Detective Walling-Millanes, Officer Mulhearn, and Sergeant Eleftheriadis fired their assigned JSO handguns, striking Phillips. Phillips attempted to exit his vehicle and fell on the ground, his gun falling underneath his body. Phillips died on scene.
 
The State Attorney’s Office will independently review the incident to assess the legality of the officers’ actions. JSO will then conduct an internal review to ensure the officers acted within policy. Conclusions remain pending.

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Information, as it becomes available regarding this Officer-Involved Shooting, will be posted on JSO's Transparency page.

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• April 23, 2026: Officer-Involved Shooting on Julington Creek Road Near Sand Ridge Drive