Deputy shoots man who was identified by stabbing victim

Shortly after 3:30 a.m., Historic City News was informed that the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office was responding to a call on Sunrise Boulevard, off SR-207, reporting that a woman was stabbed by an assailant armed with a large “fighting style” knife.

Deputy Todd Boger, a ten-year sheriff’s office veteran, located and challenged the attacker; based on description information obtained from the victim. Boger reported that the man, identified as 43-year-old John Vincent DeSanto whose last known address was 134 Washington Street, was still armed.

“Deputy Boger gave DeSanto several commands to drop his weapon,” Public Information Commander Charles E. Mulligan told local Historic City News reporters. “DeSanto did not comply with Deputy Boger’s orders; instead, he chose to confront him. The deputy shot, and hit DeSanto.”

According to the incident report, St Johns County emergency medical personnel provide DeSanto advanced life protective treatment; he was stabilized for transportation, and flown by air ambulance to UF Health Trauma Center in Jacksonville.

The stabbing victim, who reported that she knew DeSanto, opened the front door to her apartment when he knocked. Deputies were able to respond quickly to the scene and believed the assailant was still in the common areas of the multi-family housing complex; DeSanto was found in the parking lot of the complex. The victim was treated, at the scene, by Fire Rescue for what were described as “non-life threatening” injuries.

Deputy Boger has been placed on Administrative Leave; standard protocol in officer-involved shootings.