Suspect in sword attack, officer-involved shooting identified

UPDATE, 12:50 p.m.

According to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office, 22-year-old Gordon Talmage Kimbrell Jr. threatened members of his household with knives before attacking a sheriff's deputy with a sword and being fatally shot.

In a heavily redacted offense report released by the Sheriff's Office, witnesses said that Kimbrell had consumed half a bottle of rum prior to the confrontation and was heavily intoxicated. When another resident of the household asked him to stop drinking, Kimbrell became violent and started throwing kitchen knives at them.

According to the report, another resident tried to calm Kimbrell, and Kimbrell began to move toward them with knives in his hands. The resident retreated into a bedroom, and Kimbrell began stabbing the door with a knife. When the person called 911 from the bedroom, Kimbrell headed outside with a sword.

The details of Kimbrell's shooting are redacted from the report, but according to the a Sheriff's Office press release, deputies arrived on the scene a short time later. Kimbrell was instructed several times to put the sword down but failed to comply. When Deputy Matt Ray approached Kimbrell, Kimbrell struck him with the sword multiple times.

The second deputy on scene, Sgt. Brian Miller, fired several shots, incapacitating Kimbrell. Ray and Kimbrell were transported by ambulance to a local hospital.

Kimbrell expired from his wounds in the hospital. Ray under went surgery and is considered to be in good condition. He will remain hospitalized while he recovers from a serious wound to an extremity, the release said.

Miller was not injured in the incident.

Per standard procedure, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate the shooting and use of force. The SRSO will also conduct an administrative review of the incident. Miller has been placed on administrative leave due to the ongoing investigation.

UPDATE, NOON: Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office has identified the suspect in Thursday evenings officer-involved shooting as 22-year-old Gordon Talmage Kimbrell Jr. of Navarre.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Santa Rosa County deputy Matt Ray is recovering after he was attacked with a samurai sword in Navarre Thursday.

Around 5:30 p.m. deputies with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Department responded to a disturbance call on Quail Roost Drive. A mother had reported that her son was off his medications and acting violently, according to Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office Cpt. Bob Johnson.

According to a press release from the Sheriff's Office, when deputies arrived, they encountered an individual yielding a sword-type weapon.

Deputies attempted to engage him with non-lethal force using a bean-bag gun. Ray, apparently unaware the man was armed, attempted to engage him from around the corner of the house, Johnson said.

During the confrontation, the individual struck Ray with the sword causing serious injuries. At that point, the individual was shot multiple times, the release said.

Ray and the suspect were taken to area hospitals, where the suspect was pronounced dead. Ray's condition has not been released.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will conduct an investigation into the use of force. The Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office will be conducting an administrative investigation as well.