JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Off-duty Jacksonville Sheriff’s officers were already stationed outside a local bar when a shooting injured three people early Sunday morning, authorities confirmed Monday.
The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. Sunday at the Tipsy Bar and Grill, where the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office off-duty officers were positioned at the business’s request “in an effort to curtail any potential problems that might arise,” JSO said.
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“Trying to prevent. Trying to be a fixture there to add a level of prevention and enforcement if need be,” News4JAX Crime and Safety Analyst Tom Hackney said about off-duty assignments. “But really the idea is that having them there, having the car there, having them in uniform - armed obviously - that’s the idea is to quell something before it happens.”
According to investigators, a fight broke out inside the establishment, leading to gunfire when a security guard attempted to intervene. The suspect opened fire, striking three people before being tackled.
When JSO arrived inside, the suspect had been detained by security staff. All victims are expected to recover from their injuries.
“The policies and procedures of the sheriff’s office don’t allow [off-duty officers] to work inside bars.” Hackney said. “They can work outside. They can work the parking lot. They can work the front door as an extra measure of protection.”
Hackney said it falls on the business to provide security inside any bar establishment.
News4JAX analyzed the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Crime Map and it reveals at least 20 reported incidents in the area near Edgewood and Cassat Avenues throughout 2025, including cases ranging from murder to weapons violations and aggravated assault.
In October, News4JAX reported two people were shot following a fight that erupted in the parking lot after closing time.
JSO officials are actively investigating Sunday’s shooting and have requested that anyone with information contact the sheriff’s office.
News4JAX reached out to Tipsy for comment on the incident and security protocols and will update this story with any response.