JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mayor Donna Deegan posted on social media Sunday morning addressing the viral videos that show JSO officers punching fans during the Georgia-Florida game on Saturday night.
RELATED: New videos show different angles of JSO officers punching Georgia-Florida game attendees
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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.
Mayor Donna Deegan (X.com)
Around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, the Jacksonville Community Action Committee also responded to the videos, saying:
“We are deeply disturbed by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office’s excessive use of force during the recent Florida-Georgia football game. What should have been a unifying event was marred by aggressive and unnecessary tactics that put fans and families in harm’s way. This violent approach not only erodes public trust but also highlights the urgent need for accountability and oversight in law enforcement.
This display of brutality serves as a reminder of why our community needs a greater voice in public safety matters. We call for the establishment of an independent Public Safety Committee (PSC) with community representation, empowered to review and make recommendations on police practices.
We stand in solidarity with those affected by JSO’s brutality and demand a thorough investigation and accountability. The time has come for Jacksonville to prioritize a PSC that reflects and respects our community, especially given the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office’s troubling history of violence and police brutality.”
Spokesperson for the Jacksonville Community
The video, which was posted to X during the Georgia-Florida game and garnered plenty of attention online, showed three JSO officers punching two spectators at Everbank Stadium Saturday night.
Another angle of the incident can be seen here.
Here is the reversed angle of the first video from the Florida / Georgia fan police brutality incident. pic.twitter.com/yCZBTBAGwu
— John M. Phillips (@JohnPhillips) November 3, 2024
From the video, it is unclear what prompted the altercation, but a police officer in uniform can be seen punching a Georgia-Florida game attendee in the back of the head multiple times.
In other videos of the incident, the officer seems to have the fan in a headlock while a witness yells, “Why are you punching him?”
The video ends with the officer who punched the fan in the back of the head standing next to the individual while holding a Taser.
John Phillips, a civil rights attorney, told News4JAX that the video is “appalling,” but he added that “we don‘t have the full context” of the situation and don’t know what led to the incident.
News4JAX also spoke with safety analyst Tom Hackney, who said, “The suspect had his hands wrapped around [the police officer‘s] waist and there‘s a gun in 100% of encounters that law enforcement has...one of the things that’s really hammered in training is firearm protection.”
He continued, “When somebody’s got their hands around your waist, [and] they’re they’re close to where the firearm is and [with] a large crowd like that, things can go from bad to worse.”
After the video initially surfaced, the Jacksonville Sheriff‘s Office responded to News4JAX’s request for comment on the video with the following statement:
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.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
