JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department has completed its internal review of the paintball incident that led to the arrests of four firefighters, who had been reassigned to administrative duties while the investigation was underway.
JFRD said on Tuesday that the firefighters involved in the incident, on Dec. 29, 2025, returned to active duty.
Recommended Videos
The firefighters were transferred from Station 4 located at 639 W. Duval St. at West Jefferson Street in the LaVilla area for a minimum of one year and are ineligible for any USAR deployments during that period, JFRD said.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office charged each firefighter with criminal mischief, saying the paintball damage occurred during what investigators described as a firefighter “prank war.”
Police say an officer driving a marked patrol vehicle near North Jefferson and West Duval streets noticed multiple impacts on the car. When the officer stopped to check the damage, several green paint splatters were found on the vehicle.
Around the same time, a civilian driver reported his car had also been struck by paintballs in the same area, according to JSO.
As previously reported by News4JAX, all four firefighters initially denied responsibility for the incident, even after witnesses told police they saw someone run back into the fire station following the paintball gunfire.
JFRD also said the employees who were arrested are continuing through the criminal justice process. An employee who was not arrested was suspended for 72 hours without pay.
News4JAX reached out to the department to learn more about where the firefighters were transferred, how much their pay was reduced and whether they received any additional training as a result of the incident.