Crime & Safety

New report released regarding the incident where an armed man attempted to enter a school in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — On Friday, a man in the Murray Hill neighborhood tried to get into an elementary school with an axe. He was shot by police, and a new report about the incident came out on Monday. It gave more information about what happened.

Eric David Hurley, now 37 years old, has a significant criminal history, which is detailed in the court records.

In 2018, he was accused of committing the crime of grand theft auto. In the year 2020, Hurley pleaded guilty to the charge against him. In exchange for his guilty plea, he was given a term of five years’ probation and was required to attend mental health court.

Since the year 2021, he has been required to show up in mental health court anywhere from once to twice every month, and he has done so a total of more than 40 times.

Due to the grand theft auto charge he faced, Hurley had been placed on probation. On October 4 of this year, his probation officially ended.

According to the police, he made an attempt to enter the Ruth Upson Elementary School on October 7 while holding an axe.

An incident report states that Hurley attempted to enter the facility through several doors, and at one point, he shouted to a member of the staff, “You want to be next?” while brandishing an axe. According to the report, he then followed two women to the Murray Hill Church, at times holding the axe over his head.

The police said that when they instructed him to drop the weapon, he did not obey, and so officers from the Duval County School Board Police were forced to open fire at him.

He was transported to a hospital for treatment, where he is listed as critical.

The investigation is ongoing.

Jordan Collins

Jordan is an experienced editor with years in the journalism and reporting industry. He loves talking with the community about the problems local residents face and state politics. You can find him in the gym almost every day or see him jogging.

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