Tony Smith was fatally shot by Officer Rodney DeConti at a Northwest Jacksonville apartment. He was being chased after a man was carjacked and beaten at a car wash, police said. According to police, Smith was part of a group of four men, at least one of whom allegedly had a handgun, that approached a 66-year-old man at the Star Wash Car Wash around 11 p.m., beat him unconscious and left in his truck. Police quickly found the truck using the vehicle's OnStar navigation system. DeConti spotted the truck about 11:45 p.m. and attempted to stop it at the Hilltop Village Apartments. All four men bailed out of the truck. DeConti followed Smith, whom police alleged was driving the truck, and chased him up a flight of stairs where Smith allegedly made an unspecified threatening move, and DeConti shot and killed him.
Victim's Name: Tony Bernard Smith Jr.
Agency Responsible: Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Race: Black
Date of Death: November 1, 2018
County: Duval
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Official Disposition: Pending investigation/No Known Charges
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: No
Armed: Allegedly Armed
Weapon: gun
Threat Level: other
Fleeing: Foot
Body Camera: No
Washington Post Database ID: 4144
Geography: Urban