03/14/2025
PRAYERS NEEDED🙏 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A man is dead and a Jacksonville Sheriff’s officer was hospitalized Wednesday morning after an exchange of gunfire during a traffic stop between a suspect and the officer in North Jacksonville.
Parker said as the officer was leaving his car to approach the vehicle, the man leaned out of his car and shot at the officer after Parker said the officer commanded the man to remain in the car.
The officer was shot in the foot, Parker said, and returned fire, hitting the man.
The man was taken to the hospital after being treated on the scene, but died from his injuries.
Parker identified the officer as A.C. Gaulding, a 15-year veteran of JSO. Parker said this was Gaulding’s first police shooting, and the fourth of the year for the sheriff’s office.
Gaulding was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to be OK.
“He’s hurt, but he’s in good spirits, and I’m glad he was able to make it out safely,” Sheriff T.K. Waters said of Gaulding.
Waters said the man killed was wearing a bulletproof vest and multiple guns were found in his car. Waters said that based on the limited body camera footage that he was able to see Wednesday morning, Gaudling did what he was supposed to do.
“He’s doing what he’s expected to do by the citizens of this community, he shouldn’t be shot at for that,” said Waters, “but because he was shot at he returned fire and was able to eliminate the threat, now that person can not be a threat to anyone else, he’s done.”
