WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A 27-year-old man was fatally shot by a West Palm Beach police officer after responding to a call at an apartment about an "armed suspect" in a reported break-in, a department spokesman said Monday.
He has been identified by family members as John McKinzie.
The man's girlfriend, Tamara Deoliveira, said he had been living with her for the last 10 months.
"He was this sweetest person and I loved him with my whole heart," Deoliveira said. "I wanted to plan a wedding with him. I don't want to plan his funeral."
The shooting took place just after 3 p.m. at the Paradise Cove apartments in the 1200 block of The Pointe Drive, located just off Village Boulevard.
"The suspect made the decision to not only point the gun to the officers but repeatedly ignore attempts to drop the weapon and came towards the officers in an aggressive manner," West Palm Beach Police spokesman Mike Jachles said.
Jachles said after the man was shot, officers attempted CPR and life-saving efforts, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
"Had he dropped the gun, we would've had a different outcome," Jachles said.
Jachles said the officers fired multiple shots and three officers are on administrative leave, per protocol in officer-involved shootings.
The officers were not injured in the incident.
Family members said the man was having a diabetic episode and was struggling to make his way inside his girlfriend's apartment when police were called.
McKinzie's father said his son was diagnosed with diabetes when he was 4 years old.
"When he has low blood sugar, he don't know where he's at, he don't know his name and one time he was admitted into the hospital for a whole day before he realized who he was," John McKinzie Sr. said.
Police said they're waiting on a report by the medical examiner to find out if he had a medical condition.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will handle the officer-involved shooting investigation. The Palm Beach County state attorney's office also is investigating.
"There is a video that's available and we're working to get that video so we can release it in our effort to remain a transparent agency," Jachles said.
Adam Myers, president of the West Palm Beach Fraternal Order of Police, released the following statement:
"While the facts and details of the encounter are being investigated, we are confident the Officers’ actions were justified. The man who died was armed with a gun and was an immediate threat to the lives of the Officers and area residents.
An officer’s decision to use deadly force is never taken lightly and this incident was no different. We are thankful the officer’s quick response prevented the loss of innocent life."
