A Man is Killed after Pointing a Gun at Officers
Published August 21st, 2012
LAKE CITY, FL.-
It is a serious mistake to point a gun at a police officer and a man from Lake City paid for it with his life.
It's been about three months since the last police involved shooting in Lake City.
It's been about three months since the last police involved shooting in Lake City.
Three officers are now on paid administrative leave while the investigation continues.
Lake City police spokesperson Steve Shaw told us all the officers are veterans.
Many residents are shocked by the news and one neighbor says she feared for her childrens' safety.
"He just ran in my room and said," said Kiki Lofton.
"Mommy did you hear that.?"
"And I said yes baby it's gun shots and get on the ground," said Lofton.
Lofton lives right across the hall from where 30-year-old Jeramey Sweeny was killed.
"I talked to him the day before yesterday and he was talking about barbecues and football season and football parties. He seemed like a really nice guy," said Lofton.
At around 2:30 Tuesday morning, Lake City police officers arrived at Windsong apartments after getting a 911 call about a disturbance.
Officers said Sweeney came out of his apartment and pointed a handgun at them. Then they shot him.
Officers said Sweeney came out of his apartment and pointed a handgun at them. Then they shot him.
"I looked out of my peep hole and then I see someone laying down in front of my door, full of blood," said Lofton.
Investigators were on the scene for more than eight hours.
Lake City Police spokesperson Steve Shaw said disturbance calls are the number one killer of officers nationwide.
Lake City Police spokesperson Steve Shaw said disturbance calls are the number one killer of officers nationwide.
"You never know what's on the other side of the door. So a disturbance is something that an officer don't know what they are going into," said Shaw.
This call ended with a death and left many residents on edge.
"When you hear something like that, it's scary," said Sharon Lewis who is a neighbor.
Others are even thinking about finding a new place to call home.
"I want to leave. I can not continue because it could have been my kids. Bullets doesn't have names. It could've went through my apartment and could have hit anyone one of us," said Lofton.
A neighbor tolds us that Jeramey Sweeny had only moved in a week ago. A check of his past only turned up an arrest for a driver's license violation last year.
The State Attorney's Office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement are investigating the shooting.
Reporter:
Yaremi Farinas
