Florida robbery suspect shot after pulling gun on officer 👮‍♂️🚓🚔🚨

Jacksonville Florida — On Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at 6:11 p.m., Officer J. Collier received notification that a truck used in a Lake County Armed Robbery was in the Argyle Forest area of Jacksonville's Westside. Within a few minutes, Officer Collier located a truck matching the description of the suspect vehicle in a gas station parking lot. No one was occupying the truck when Officer Collier first approached and investigated it, but he did observe through a window that a rifle was located on the front passenger seat. Officer Collier then saw a man, later identified as 37-year-old Brenton Paquin, walk with his leash dog across the parking lot towards the truck. Officer Collier called out to Paquin asking if the truck belonged to him. Paquin responded that it was his truck while appearing to text on his phone. Officer Collier asked Paquin to sit down on a curb beside the truck.

Rather than comply, Paquin continued towards his truck, opening the driver's side door. Officer Collier grabbed on to Paquin's arm and immediately a physical struggle ensued. Paquin reached into the truck cab and armed himself with a handgun. Paquin attempted to rack the slide, enabling him to fire the weapon, aimed the gun at Officer Collier and advance towards him. In response, Officer Collier drew his JSO issued firearm and shot Paquin. Paquin fell to the ground. Led by Officer Griffin, who has EMT medical training, officers provided emergency aid to Paquin until paramedics arrived on scene and transported him to a local hospital in critical but stable condition. Paquin's dog was unharmed in the incident.

Crime scene detectives responded to the scene and collected Paquin's Ruger .22 caliber handgun, near where Paquin had falling to the ground. Crime scene detective searched Paquin's truck and located narcotics, ammunition, two .22 caliber rifles, one .30-.30 caliber rifle, one .30-.06 caliber rifle, one .303 caliber rifle, one 7.62-51-millimiter rifle, one 20-gauge shotgun and one 16-gauge shotgun. Paquin's arrest history includes out-of-state arrest for crimes including Assault, Fleeing or Attempting to Elude and Driving Under the Influence. Paquin had an active arrest warrant out of Lake County, Florida for Armed Robbery and he was also a person of interest for a homicide investigation out of Vermont. Due to his actions immediately prior to this critical incident, Paquin is currently charged with one count of Attempted Murder on a Law Enforcement Officer.