Credit: Port St. Joe Police Department bodycam screenshot
Port St. Joe, Fla. — Newly released body‑camera footage from the Port St. Joe Police Department reveals the chilling moment a Florida woman armed with a 16‑inch fillet knife charged at officers—leading to a near‑fatal shooting that ultimately saved lives.
The harrowing footage, made public September 2, chronicles the unfolding of an incident—involving a 41‑year‑old suspect identified as Tikila Walker—that began earlier on August 15 with multiple hit‑and‑run complaints and serious reckless driving reports. Notably, Walker’s vehicle, a white Ford Fusion fitted with expired temporary tags, sparked concerns when it fled a scene after colliding with a fence and continued to evade law enforcement (https://www.wjhg.comGulf County News).
At approximately 3:42 p.m., deputies were first dispatched regarding a repossession attempt on Walker’s vehicle near Avenue C. Later, at 4:19 p.m., she was again connected to a hit‑and‑run incident—though no charges were pressed at that time—only to surface once more around 5:52 p.m. after allegedly blocking a repo truck near a convenience store.
Sgt. Sherrell Morrison and Officer Jerry Lee eventually located Walker at the scene at 249 Avenue C shortly after 6 p.m. The suspect remained inside her vehicle, brandishing the pronouncedly long fillet knife. Despite repeated lawful orders to disarm, she refused to comply.
Backup in the form of Officer Allan Edwards and a Gulf County deputy sheriff arrived as the situation teetered on the brink of catastrophe. Attempts to incapacitate Walker with a taser—totaling seven deployments—proved ineffective, underscoring that such non‑lethal tools are not fail‑safe. “The Taser made no connection, it didn’t work,” Chief Jake Richards later explained. “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. It’s not as easy when it’s somebody who is her body type.”
Shortly after, Walker exited her vehicle and charged straight at Sgt. Morrison, knife raised. In an instant that tested every training principle at their command, officers were forced to make split‑second life‑or‑death decisions. Sgt. Morrison fired two shots; Officer Lee fired one. Two rounds struck Walker—one in the upper right arm and one in the pelvic region—effectively neutralizing the deadly threat.
As she collapsed, officers immediately intervened—disarming her and rendering urgent, life‑saving aid until Gulf County EMS arrived on scene. Walker was rushed to Ascension Sacred Heart Bay, and remarkably, she survived and was released from hospital care soon after.
Chief Richards emphasized his department’s review: “Our internal observations of the officer‑involved shooting, as far as our policy and procedures, is that it is justified. The officers had no choice; it was the only response they had at that moment in time.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has launched a formal investigation, and findings will eventually be forwarded to State Attorney Larry Basford, who may convene a grand jury if warranted.
Records show that Walker was arrested on September 1 in connection with the August 15 incident. She now faces charges for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence.
This marks the first officer‑involved shooting in Port St. Joe since 1988, making it a rare and serious matter for the small community
