ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office released new details Wednesday morning, the day after deputies fatally shot an armed man near International Golf Parkway. The sheriff also addressed a video posted on social media that showed the deadly confrontation.
RELATED | Woman describes ‘crazy’ scene of deputy-involved shooting that killed man in St. Johns County
In a press conference on Wednesday morning, Sheriff Robert Hardwick said the suspect, Kristopher Lee Johnson, started showing concerning behavior following a breakup with his girlfriend over the past two weeks.
(Watch the full press conference below)
Johnson, 43, is from New York but has lived in St. Johns County. Hardwick said he has a history of criminal violence in New York and St. Johns County.
Hardwick said on Tuesday morning, his ex-girlfriend went to the St. Augustine City Police Department at about 10 a.m. to report that she was concerned about stalking following a breakup.
The police recommended that she seek a protection order.
Hardwick said at 3:40 p.m. on Tuesday, the sheriff’s office got a 911 call from Johnson as he was meeting with a man, identified as the victim, at a place off International Golf Parkway. Hardwick said they were coworkers.
The sheriff said the line was open on the 911 call, but Johnson never actually spoke to the operator. The operator asked numerous questions with no reply, and a man could be heard in the background pleading for his life. The two could also be heard yelling at each other and Hardwick said the victim was begging for his life while Johnson was “telling him to get on his knees, that this is basically the end.”
Witnesses said that Johnson chased the man around a vehicle and he was firing multiple shots that can be heard on the 911 call. The victim hid under his car as Johnson was still shooting at him. Hardwick said they believe Johnson either had to reload or the gun malfunctioned, allowing the victim to run away.
The sheriff said that Johnson can be heard on the 911 call looking for the victim, and Johnson gets into his own car and drives to the construction site off Thomas Industry Way, but he doesn’t find the victim.
Johnson then went back to the site where the incident happened, deputies said. He then got into the victim’s truck and drove it down Thomas Industry Way and headed back towards International Golf Parkway. Still, he didn’t know the victim jumped into another truck on the road begging for his life, telling that person to stop driving, call 911 and that he knows who the shooter is.
A deputy found the truck on the road with Johnson behind the wheel and stopped it with a PIT maneuver. Johnson got out of the car, stood in the middle of the road and he can be heard on the 911 call saying “shoot me, shoot me, kill me,” while waving his firearm in the air.
Deputies Jacob Johannes and Robert Hill then shot Johnson. They rendered aid and he was taken to the hospital, where he died that evening, Hardwick said.
“He is an active shooter,” Hardwick said. “We know that he’s going to take someone’s life. The last thing we are going to do in St. Johns County is let that man walk down US-1 heading southbound and kill another innocent person.”
A video taken by a driver shows the moments when Johnson was shot. The sheriff’s office said that the video is part of the investigation, and News4JAX will not show him being shot. You can watch it below.
The sheriff’s office said the woman who initially went to the St. Augustine Police is cooperating with them.
This incident is still under investigation. Anyone with home, business, or cell phone video related to this investigation can click this link to upload it.
You may also email crimetips@sjso.org or call 904-824-8304 and request to speak to Sgt. Gene Tolbert.