A 24-year-old Florida man, Jaden Alexander Harris, is accused of fatally shooting 43-year-old Joseph Hall Jr. after the latter was preventing the former from leaving a parking lot. Allegedly, Harris said, “I had to because he was blocking me in.”
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According to an arrest report obtained by Law & Crime, the incident occurred on August 14. At around 5:25 p.m., the Sanford Police Department responded to a leasing office on Marbella Lane in Sanford, Florida. They had received a shooting report.
Upon arrival, officers found Hall having suffered a gunshot wound, bleeding profusely, in front of his grey Jeep Gladiator. Moments later, a man identified later as Harris approached one of the officers with his hands up. When asked if he had shot Hall, Harris allegedly said, “I had to because he was blocking me in.”
Life-saving measures were started by a responding police investigator. Sanford Fire/Rescue transported Hall to HCA Lake Monroe Hospital. Shortly after arrival, he was pronounced deceased.
A witness told the police that, before the shooting, they had heard a heated argument between the two men over “someone being blocked in.” At one point, the witness heard a gun being fired and allegedly saw Harris running toward Hall’s Jeep and firing five to six more gunshots. No witness reported seeing Hall with a weapon.
Police Interview
In a post-Miranda interview, Harris revealed he had first encountered Harris when the two were driving northbound on South Mangoustine Avenue. Harris allegedly told the police that Hall was “driving super slow” and decided to pass him. He then alleged that Hall appeared to attempt to hit him as a result.
Harris recalled a previous unrelated incident regarding him hitting a mailbox because of a driver who then fled the area. As a result, he decided to follow Hall to take a picture of his tag.
Upon reaching an intersection, Hall pulled next to him, rolled down his window, and called him a “pussy,” according to Harris. He then continued following Hall to take a picture of his tag, eventually taking it on Marbella Lane.
However, Hall blocked the leasing office parking lot’s exit, left his vehicle, and stated, “Now what’s up, now what’s up,” according to Harris. After Hall continued to approach him and lunged toward his vehicle, Harris shot him, the warrant alleged.
Police asked where Hall was when he lunged at his vehicle. At that moment, Harris requested to have an attorney present, according to the warrant.
Police accused Harris of following Hall “without reason.”
“Jaden had several opportunities to disengage from pursuing Joseph but maliciously continued instead,” the warrant alleged, adding that Harris never said he feared for his life during the interview.
Jaden Alexander Harris is charged with second-degree murder. As per Law & Crime, he has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond.