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The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reports that during a confrontation, Alan Rush engaged in a struggle with Officer Zachary Jennings, ultimately producing a firearm which led to a fatal response from the officer. This incident marks the 17th officer-involved shooting in Jacksonville this year.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Following the fatal shooting of his friend by a Jacksonville police officer, a family acquaintance is advocating for reforms in police protocols concerning the use of force.
“There is no reason for anyone to be shot and killed,” expressed Travis Harris.
According to JSO, on Monday evening, officers from the District 6 task force were dispatched to Ponce Boulevard near New Berlin Road to execute a warrant for William Lowe. Lowe was reportedly wanted for his involvement in a vehicle theft and multiple commercial burglaries.
Authorities conducted surveillance at a residence, observing as Lowe exited the house and entered the passenger seat of a vehicle driven by his associate, 46-year-old Alan Rush, as detailed by the agency.
Officers then initiated a traffic stop. Lowe complied with commands and was taken into custody without incident.
Chief Alan Parker spoke during a briefing about the details.
“He did what he was told, nothing happened,” Parker said.
JSO says the situation escalated on the driver’s side of the car.
Investigators say Officer Zachary Jennings approached Rush in the driver’s seat and ordered him out of the vehicle.
Rush did not comply and began physically fighting with the officer, Parker said.
“The other one that decided to fight and produced a handgun, he made his own decisions,” Parker said.
JSO says during that struggle, Rush pulled out a gun, prompting Jennings to shoot him in the head.
Lowe’s half-brother, Travis Harris, says he watched it unfold. Harris said Rush rolled his window halfway down and put both hands outside before officers pulled him from the car.
“They snatched him out and he went to the ground,” Harris said. “Then I looked over at this cop coming across here, running across my yard. I hear ‘pop.’ I turned back around. He’s on the ground in handcuffs, already shot.”
According to JSO, Rush was a convicted felon with more than a dozen local arrests for narcotics and other charges, and investigators say they found suspected narcotics believed to be his in the car
Harris acknowledged his brother’s criminal record, saying Lowe has “been in and out of prison his whole life” and “ran and ran and ran,” but said that does not justify how Rush died.
First Coast News crime and safety expert Mark Baughman said high-risk warrant operations are inherently dangerous and that agencies typically bring extra manpower when dealing with felony suspects or people with violent histories.
“If the individual is a known violent or has the potential to be a violent felon, or in this case it’s a felony warrant, you want to be able to have enough resources and manpower out there to address that issue when you execute the warrant,” Baughman said. “To me, it looks like it’s a justifiable shooting.”
Harris disagrees. He believes officers rely too quickly on deadly force and wants to see changes in training and equipment.
“Something needs to be done about all this police shooting,” he said. “They don’t need to shoot to kill. Let them serve their time.”
JSO says the shooting is its 17th officer-involved shooting of the year, and the State Attorney’s Office is conducting an independent investigation into the incident.