The eviction process in Florida is typically straightforward once a writ of possession has been issued by the court, however the Jacksonville police department recently had an entirely different experience. What should have been a routine eviction turned deadly when a tenant refused to go quietly.
Police were executing a writ of possession at a Jacksonville apartment when they spotted a young man, the tenant, outside the apartment. When they approached the man to discuss the purpose for their visit, the man pulled a gun and held it to one of the officers’ chests. The two officers shouted that the man has a gun and began to wrestle him for the weapon. The gun was dropped and the tenant broke free and took off running down some nearby stairs. The two officers, fearing for their safety, open fired on the suspect, mortally wounding him.
Afterward, two jars containing 126 grams of marijuana and a semi-automatic Smith and Wesson were recovered on the patio near where the struggle went down. Perhaps if this tenant was informed of his rights regarding eviction, this incident would have transpired in a more peaceful way. An eviction should not involve gunfire and fatality unless someone is grossly misinformed.