A Florida mother set up her own sting operation at a Popeyes fast food restaurant to confront a man who was allegedly sexting her 13-year-old daughter. The face-off ended with the suspect being shot multiple times.
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Chief of Investigations Alan Parker said during a press conference Monday that 18-year-old Cerry Rodriques Banks “was having an inappropriate text relationship with a 13-year-old female.”
‘As the officer reaches the corner of the business, he observes the suspect pull the pistol from his waistband.’
The girl’s mother allegedly became aware of the illicit communications. She then took her daughter’s phone and texted with the suspect, pretending to be her underage daughter.
The mother then set up a meeting with the 18-year-old man around 7 a.m. Sunday at a Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurant in Jacksonville.
Banks arrived at the fast food restaurant, believing he was meeting with the girl — but instead, he was met by the mother as well as her daughter and 11-year-old son.
The suspect brandished a gun and reportedly told the mother, “When you hear the shots tonight, you know what’s up.”
The unnamed mother rushed her children into the Popeyes, and the suspect allegedly walked to the rear of the fast food restaurant — and the mom contacted authorities.
Police said the suspect had ample time to vacate the area, but he stayed outside of the restaurant.
Police officers confronted Banks and gave the suspect “multiple verbal commands” to “turn around and show his hands.”
The suspect disregarded the commands, however, and fled.
Parker of the sheriff’s office stated, “As the officer reaches the corner of the business, he observes the suspect pull the pistol from his waistband.”
The officer reportedly instructed Banks to drop his weapon, which the suspect refused to do.
With that, the officer — a 7-year veteran — shot the suspect multiple times.
“The suspect continues to flee and, near a neighboring business, drops the gun,” Parker said.
Banks was able to get away from the pursuing officer, but other officers set up a perimeter.
With assistance from a K-9 unit, the suspect was apprehended in a drainage tunnel without further incident.
Parker said the suspect was shot in his hand, torso, and possibly “in the leg.” He received medical assistance at the scene before being transported to a local hospital to treat his wounds.
Police said they recovered the gun, and the weapon did not appear to have been discharged during the incident.
According to jail records from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Banks was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct by an offender 18 or older with the victim less than 16, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, and travel to meet after using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure a child.
Bond was set at $700,018.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said he understood the mother’s concern but that parents should allow law enforcement to handle situations such as this.
“We’d absolutely love to handle every situation, but this is a mother who’s concerned about her daughter. So, I get it, I understand,” Waters said during the press conference. “But, I would say that in most cases, in situations like that, call us and let us come out and deal with the situation, so it doesn’t unfold like this.”
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Sting operation, Florida, Florida crime, Florida woman, Child sex crimes, Crime, Mother and daughter, Arrest, Police involved shooting, Jacksonville, Sexting accusation