CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – The brother of a man who Clay County deputies fatally shot during a Department of Children and Families investigation in the Oakleaf neighborhood is calling for answers and accountability, while the NAACP is now demanding a thorough probe into whether lethal force was necessary during the confrontation.
During the Saturday afternoon investigation, where deputies were called to a home on Pebble Stone Court to assist DCF, Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook said they learned that one man had out-of-state warrants.
Cook said the deputies were trying to confirm the out-of-state warrant for the man who was eventually shot when he armed himself with two knives and became confrontational.
The confrontation moved to the backyard of the residence, where deputies said the man knocked down a fence and continued into a neighbor’s yard, causing a deputy to shoot the man.
The man died from his injuries.
The man’s brother said he was not a threat due to his disability.
“He couldn’t move around very well,” his brother, who wished not to be identified, told News4JAX. “He couldn’t move around. My brother was disabled. Full disability. I think they were intimidated by his size and weight. He couldn’t get up and lunge at them.”
The brother also said the family retained a lawyer.
“It’s destroyed our whole family, and only thing I can say is I wish them justice for this,” he said.
The Clay County/Green Cover Springs branch of the NAACP issued a statement on the shooting, calling for accountability.
The Clay County/Green Cove Springs Branch NAACP is expressing outrage and deep concern regarding the recent tragic incident involving the fatal shooting of an unarmed African American male, reportedly experiencing a mental health crisis.
A video depicting the harrowing event has surfaced, prompting urgent discussion about the actions of the Clay County Sheriff’s Department. In light of these disturbing revelations, we demand a thorough investigation and immediate answers from Sheriff Cook regarding the rationale behind the officers’ use of lethal force in a situation that, from our assessment, did not present an immediate threat to their safety or the safety of others.
Our community is grappling with the agonizing loss of a life that could have been saved. This incident highlights the critical need for law enforcement to be trained in handling mental health crises with compassion and care, rather than resorting to lethal measures that exacerbate the already fragile state of our community.
We believe in accountability, transparency, and justice. Sheriff Cook’s statements during her recent news conference failed to adequately address the serious questions surrounding this tragic event.
Clay County NAACP
The NAACP also called for the following actions to take place:
1. Immediate Transparency: We demand that Sheriff Cook provide a detailed explanation of the sequence of events leading to the shooting, along with the policies guiding such decisions.
2. Comprehensive Investigation: An independent investigation into the actions of the officers involved must be conducted to ensure impartiality and fairness.
3. Mental Health Training: It is imperative that the Clay County Sheriff’s Department implement rigorous training programs focusing on mental health crisis intervention to prevent future tragedies.
4. Community Engagement: We urge the department to actively engage with the community to build trust and understanding, especially in the context of sensitive situations involving vulnerable individuals
News4JAX also spoke with Trevor Francis, who has circulated a video online that reportedly captured the shooting, which as of Monday had more than 175,000 views. The footage appeared to show the man who was killed, visibly large in stature, lying on the ground at the moment he was shot.
“He can’t walk. He has to walk with a cane. You see how heavy-set he is. If you watch the whole video, when he broke through the fence, he fell through the fence,” Francis said.
In the video, which we did not air or post online, it appears that the man was holding a knife, but part of his body is obscured from view.
The CCSO has not released the man’s identity or addressed any matters that would suggest that the man was experiencing a mental health crisis.