BARTOW, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff's Office says it's investigating after Bartow police shot an armed carjacker Monday afternoon on U.S. 98.
Sheriff Grady Judd said 32-year-old Joshua Walker had been in a fight with his mom at their Highlands City home before he asked her to borrow her car. When she refused, Walker pointed a gun at his head and said he would "do suicide by cop" and drove off, according to the sheriff.
Judd said Walker then went to a liquor store around 3:45 p.m. carjacked a woman sitting in the parking lot and fled south on U.S. 98.
Walker reportedly crashed into multiple cars near the intersection of Ernest Smith Boulevard before careening off onto the side of the road near Bartow Ford.
After failed attempts to carjack more drivers, Walker started running south in the northbound lanes of U.S. 98, the sheriff explained.
That's when the Bartow Police Department was called about an armed disturbance.
Bartow police officers were dispatched to the area and spotted Walker on the side of the road. When the officers attempted to approach him, he pointed a pistol at them, according to the police department.
In response, the two officers reportedly shot at Walker, hitting him at least two times in the torso. He was transported to Lakeland Regional Health in critical condition. On Tuesday morning, the sheriff's office said Walker had died.
No law enforcement officers were injured.
"These Bartow police officers did an absolute magnificent job. They're heroes. They protected themselves. They protected the community," Judd said.
According to the sheriff, none of the people who were carjacked were injured and the people involved in the car crashes suffered only minor injuries.
Judd said Walker had a criminal history about 30 pages long and had already been to prison twice. According to the sheriff's office, Walker had three active warrants for his arrest.
The shooting by Bartow police remains under investigation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office.