Man accused of shooting at Leesburg police officer charged with attempted murder

LEESBURG, Fla. — Jonathan Nadre Harris, 24, shook his head "no" and said, "I have no idea," when Channel 9's Myrt Price asked him if he shot at Leesburg police Officer Travonte Kitchen.

Harris was taken into custody at 1:30 p.m. near East Street and North Boulevard, police said.

Police said they were in the neighborhood and residents helped lead them to the accused shooter.

Police said Kitchen pulled the bicyclist over at 10:37 p.m. Monday in the area of U.S. Route 441 and Lake Street for not having a working taillight.

Harris, a convicted felon, went to the curb and grassy shoulder of the road and began reaching into his jacket pocket, police said. Kitchen told Harris multiple times to show his hands and then requested backup.

Harris got off his bike and fired one round at Kitchen, striking the windshield of the police car, police said.

Kitchen was not injured.

Kitchen's training and instinct, which led him to take cover behind his police cruiser when he grew suspicious of Harris' intentions, were what kept him uninjured, Leesburg Lt. Joe Iozzi said.

"I think quite a few officers, probably including myself, would have left the car and started to approach (Harris) on foot, and had that been the case, I'm quite certain that that individual was ready to have a close-contact encounter with that officer," Iozzi said.

Harris faces charges of attempted murder on a police officer and possession of a firearm, investigators said.

Cox Media Group