MELROSE, FL — In a harrowing incident in Melrose, Florida, a man was shot multiple times in a justified Stand Your Ground shooting after he assaulted his baby and attacked bystanders, including a man who defended himself with a firearm despite suffering a broken arm.

The assailant, identified as 26-year-old Jason Kaercher from Gainesville, exhibited erratic behavior leading up to the attack. On Thursday, concerned relatives and a Department of Children and Families (DCF) case manager met with Kaercher and his family at a home near State Road 21. The situation escalated when Kaercher, claiming to be “God,” began to harm his 3-month-old child and attempted to walk onto the busy roadway while carrying the baby and a Bible.

In a desperate attempt to save the child, a family member intervened, using a shovel to persuade Kaercher to release the baby. After a tense struggle, the baby was safely rescued from beneath Kaercher, who then attacked onlookers and a work crew that had stopped to help.

The situation took a violent turn when Kaercher broke a man’s arm using the shovel and continued his assault. It was then that the injured man, a truck driver, managed to retrieve his gun. As Kaercher advanced towards him with the Bible in hand, the driver, acting in self-defense, fired multiple shots, hitting Kaercher in the chest through the Bible.

Both Kaercher and the injured driver were hospitalized for their injuries, while the baby received care at a pediatric emergency room. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office is investigating, with charges pending for Kaercher. Authorities have indicated that the driver’s use of his firearm was in self-defense, highlighting the critical importance of being prepared to protect oneself.

This incident underscores the value of carrying for personal protection and the importance of training to use a firearm under duress, including with one arm, should the other become immobile. Being able to draw and fire a weapon effectively with either hand can be lifesaving in extreme situations, as demonstrated in this shocking event.