Jacksonville group raises concerns about fatal police shooting

A community group is raising concerns about a police shooting Thursday evening that killed a 30-year-old man in Arlington.

Police said they approached a group of men who were “flashing guns back and forth” and engaging in drug-related activities.

One of three men ran and was shot when he pulled a gun, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said. The man, Dejuane Hayden, died later at a hospital.

Social media has been abuzz about the shooting after portions of the encounter with Hayden were livestreamed on Faceback. The three-minute video begins with three men having fun and listening to Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us . It concludes with gunshots.

Shooting outrage

More than 800 people have signed an online petition demanding the release of unedited footage of the episode from police bodycams.

The Jacksonville Community Action Committee also reviewed the video and was incensed at the initial reaction from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. The civil rights and advocacy group has repeatedly demanded accountability and the release of video, documents and information from law enforcement when it uses force against residents.

“The community is outraged, demanding the immediate release of body camera footage. Many witnessed the part of the incident on Facebook Live, hearing the shots fired by officers within seconds of arriving on the scene,” the group wrote in a statement. “When the victim’s brother said to the officers, stating, ‘You shot my brother,’ one officer responded, ‘I don’t care what we did.’”

Sheriff’s Office statement

The Sheriff’s Office says the shooting by Officer Bradley Griffitts remains under investigation. The department pledged to release body camera footage by the end of October.

The social media video is not a full representation of what happened, the Sheriff’s Office said. “The public should be aware that this video was not recorded where the shooting actually occurred and does not capture the events that led to the officer’s use of force,” the statement said.

This is the second time Griffitts has been on leave for shooting someone during his six-year tenure with the agency.

In May 2020, Griffitts was one of six Jacksonville officers who shot and killed Felipe Pereira after a domestic disturbance in Fort Caroline. Pereira reportedly had argued with his girlfriend and fired a gun into a couch before the Sheriff’s Office was called.

In July 2021, State Attorney Melissa Nelson’s office concluded the shooting was justified and did not bring charges.

The State Attorney’s Office also is investigating Griffitts’ most recent shooting.

Hayden has been arrested nine times in Duval County since 2012. In November 2012, he pleaded guilty to third-degree felony charges of carrying a concealed firearm as well as cocaine possession.

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