JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Fans who witnessed Jacksonville Sheriff’s officers’ use of force during the Georgia-Florida game late Saturday said they are appalled at how those officers behaved.
“If that’s the way the fans are going to be treated, I don’t think the schools should accept the money that Jacksonville is going to pay to beat our fans basically,” Jeremy Williamson, a UGA fan visitor from Savannah, Georgia, said.
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Several videos on social media showed two incidents in which JSO officers used force when dealing with fans. The officers were recorded throwing punches and using tasers.
Action News Jax’s Shanila Kabir spoke to witnesses of both incidents who described them as horrific and called the officers’ use of force unwarranted. They add the officers involved should be investigated because right now, they still do not understand what these fans did to prompt that type of response.
Williamson said he saw JSO officers punch and taser one man in front of his two children over questions about digital tickets.
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Williamson said it started when event staff confronted the man’s children.
“He grabs his kids and goes back to his seat. A few minutes later, we see the officers coming up with staff and they immediately tell them to leave,” Williamson said.
Williamson said the man calmly responded to the officers that they were not leaving and things escalated.
Much of the incident was captured on video, which has gone viral. Action News Jax has not heard and seen all the conversation leading up to the physical confrontation.
“The officer told the man he was going to tase him and then he did multiple times. Then, he pulls out his handcuffs and wraps them around his knuckles like brass knuckles and he starts to beat the guy over the head.”
The video appears to show the officer striking the man with his handcuffs.
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Williamson adds there were at least 20 empty seats in that section which he said makes the use of force more disturbing.
After witnessing the JSO officers’ misbehavior, he believes Jacksonville should no longer host the Georgia-Florida games.
Commenting on, another incident caught on video, Florida fan Lance Harlin said he does not know why some JSO officers threw punches. He said three fans were tased, tackled, and dragged out.
“There was no need for that in any way, shape or form. One officer was beating a guy who was clearly older and not fighting back,” Harlin said.
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A Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department source told Action News Jax this video was “a fan fight that turned on the officers when they tried to intervene.”
However, witness Lance Harlin said these people were not fighting, just being loud and rowdy like many fans, attending the rivalry game.
“It seemed a bit odd the police showed up because there were already three above us and then some under us. I believed that was too much for just a loud fan. It would be different if they were fighting,” Harlin said.
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JSO sent Action News Jax this statement regarding the incident:
“The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office’s Professional Standards Division is aware of videos circulating from the Florida-Georgia football game. Administrative reviews of the incidents are being opened. As such, the agency will not comment until all the facts are known and the reviews have been completed.”
We have put in a request for the incident reports in the background for the officers involved. We have not received the reports yet.
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