Police: Officer shot armed suspect

A Gainesville Police officer, responding to a report of a disturbance and burglary early Saturday, shot and injured a man inside the home who was armed with a knife, police reported.

Isaac L. Gaddy Jr., 34, was shot in the upper torso, said Gainesville Police spokeswoman Officer Summer Hallett. Officer Nick Byrd fired at Gaddy, who was inside his home at 2626 E. University Ave. that he shares with a woman and their child. The incident occurred at about 4 a.m.

Gaddy was in stable condition at Shands at the University of Florida Saturday morning, Hallett said.

Byrd has been placed on administrative leave with pay, per department policy, pending an investigation of the incident, Hallett said.

Police had received a report of a disturbance at the residence, which was upgraded to a burglary as officers were arriving, Hallett said.

Byrd arrived at the apartment and forced his way into the home where he found a man armed with a knife and a woman with a child barricaded in another room. The man refused to put the weapon down as ordered by the officer, police reported. Byrd fired at the man, hitting him in the torso.

Police did not release the number of shots fired by the officer.

The man continued to struggle with officers as they tried to handcuffed him, Hallett said. Police administered first aid to the man until paramedics arrived, she said.

Police did not report anyone else at the home was injured.

Officers learned Gaddy lives at the home along with the woman and the couple's child. He had entered the residence through a window. A disturbance between the two adults escalated, and the woman took the child, armed herself with a knife and hid in a bathroom.

Gaddy was kicking at the door of the room, trying to break in, when Byrd arrived, police reported.

Officers had been called to the home by the woman, Hallett said.

Gaddy has previously been convicted of burglary, trafficking in stolen property and possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, according to the Florida Department of Corrections. He was released from prison in 2006 after being sentenced to a year and six months behind bars.

Gaddy now is facing a charge of aggravated domestic assault, Hallett said. Additional charges also could be filed.

Hallett did not immediately have details about Byrd's employment history with the police department but said he has served with the agency approximately four to five years.