Florida officer beaten unconscious by suspect needs facial reconstructive surgery, police say
An Atlantic Beach, Fla., police officer was knocked unconscious by a suspect, who was then shot by another officer early Thursday. (Atlantic Beach Police Department / Facebook)
ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. - A Florida police officer needs facial reconstructive surgery after he was beaten unconscious by a suspect early Thursday morning.
Atlantic Beach police received a complaint around 5 a.m. about a man in the parking lot of a Panera Bread restaurant, First Coast News reported. When an officer arrived, the pair engaged in a physical struggle and the suspect, later identified as Jaden Perkins, knocked the officer unconscious, police say.
He then allegedly stomped on the officer's head, the news outlet reported. When another officer arrived, Perkins reportedly said, "You're going to have to kill me," according to First Coast News.
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The officer shouted verbal commands and the suspect allegedly reached for his weapon, according to the news outlet. The officer opened fire and hit the suspect, who was reportedly still combative while on the ground.
Perkins and the officer who initially responded to the scene were taken to hospitals and expected to live. The officer suffered injuries to his head and face and will undergo surgery next week, the police department said.
The suspect is charged with second-degree attempted murder.
Calls to the Atlantic Beach police from Fox News were not immediately returned.
The department told local media outlets that Thursday's incident was its first officer-involved shooting in two decades.