News

Nov 04, 2024

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office reviews videos of officers punching fans

(This article has been updated to include additional information) The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is reviewing viral videos showing Jacksonville police officers punching spectators during apparently

(This article has been updated to include additional information)

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is reviewing viral videos showing Jacksonville police officers punching spectators during apparently unrelated altercations during the Florida-Georgia game Saturday night at EverBank Stadium.

Mayor Donna Deegan said she has spoken to Sheriff T.K. Waters regarding the videos.

"I’m aware of several disturbing videos circulating from yesterday’s game. I have spoken to Sheriff Waters and the incidents are under investigation. We are awaiting the outcome of that investigation," Deegan posted on X (formerly Twitter) Sunday morning.

One video ― posted on X ― shows two officers struggling with two spectators in the stands.

Other spectators could heard on the video screaming at the officers to stop, including someone yelling "Why are you punching him?"

The 15-second video posted on X by Ohio’s Tate at Barstool Tateon Saturday night had garnered 15 million views by mid-morning Sunday.

The video doesn't show the circumstances surrounding the incident, nor are the officers identified in the video, although both are wearing JSO uniforms.

An Instagram video posted by Jeremy Williamson of Warner Robins, Ga., appears to show an argument between a man and two JSO officers escalate into a fight that left the man with his face bloodied and handcuffed after being shot repeatedly with a stun gun.

Williamson told the Times-Union in a telephone interview Sunday that he had been sitting nearby and witnessed the altercation which he described as "police brutality."

"What we witnessed was 100% wrong. It was police brutality. Regardless of the words that came out of that man's mouth, there was absolutely no excuse for what they did," said Williamson, who used his cellphone to record the incident.

The Williamson video shows the man, who was seated, arguing with one officer as a second officer holding his stun gun, approaches and touches the man's arm. The man slaps away the officer's hand and the officer triggers the stun gun.

The man gets up and appears to say "I'm not going to jail. You suck" as the second officer moves to handcuff him and they struggle. The first officer deploys his stun gun and the man swipes at the wires trying to pull them out of his body. He then falls forward onto the row of seats in front of him, Williamson's video shows.

During the fight, one of the officers can be seen holding what appears to be his handcuffs in one hand while punching the man in the head and face. The man fights back while also trying to pull out of the officer's grip. The video shows the struggle continues with both officers punching him and then ultimately wrestling him down against the seats to handcuff him.

Blood can be seen on the man's head and face as the officers walk him with his hands cuffed behind his back.

The video doesn't show the circumstances leading up to the confrontation.

The Sheriff's Office posted on social media that it won't comment until its review is completed.

"The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office’s Professional Standards Division is aware of the videos circulating from the Georgia-Florida football game. Administrative reviews of the incidents are being opened. As such, the agency will not comment until all facts are known and the reviews have been completed," the Sheriff's Office posted.

The Sheriff's Office didn't say how long that review might take.