Man who shot JSO detective during traffic stop pleads not guilty

The man who allegedly shot and critically wounded a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office detective nearly a month ago faced a judge for the first time since his arrest.

Kevin Rojas was wheeled into the courtroom to enter a not guilty plea in front of friends and family during his first appearance Thursday morning at the Duval County Courthouse.  The short appearance ended after another court hearing was scheduled for April 27th at 9 in the morning.

The undercover narcotics detective was off-duty and taking his 14-year-old son to school on March 9th when he pulled Rojas over for driving erratically along Collins Road near the train tracks between Blanding and Roosevelt Boulevards on the Westside.

JSO says Rojas immediately got out of his car and started firing at the detective, hitting his head, upper torso and one of his hands.

The detective - a JSO employee since 2008 - has since been released from the hospital. His identity hasn't been released because of concerns that it would compromise ongoing investigations.

The arrest report shows Rojas ran from the scene on foot, stole a running Ford F-350 truck and ran it into a neighbor's house before going back into his own home in the Whispering Pine subdivision.

The 19-year-old allegedly aimed a gun at officers during the pursuit, with both of them firing back, per JSO. He was hit 3 times and was treated at a hospital before going to jail.

Detectives believe Rojas - who is charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault - was attempting suicide by cop after getting into an argument with his girlfriend.

Speaking to reporters after the incident, JSO Chief Tom Hackney says one of Rojas' roommates had bought a gun recently due to concerns he had over Rojas' recent behavior and that Rojas had made statements about this being his "last day on Earth".

The two officers who shot Rojas were placed on paid leave, as is standard in these kinds of cases. The detective’s son wasn't hurt despite bullets going into the vehicle he was in, per JSO.