close
close

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is reviewing videos of officers hitting fans

(This article has been updated to include additional information)

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is reviewing viral videos showing Jacksonville police officers punching spectators during apparently unrelated altercations during Saturday night's Florida-Georgia game at EverBank Stadium.

Mayor Donna Deegan said she has spoken with Sheriff TK Waters regarding the videos.

“I have seen several disturbing videos circulating from yesterday’s game. I have spoken to Sheriff Waters and the incidents are being investigated. We are awaiting the outcome of this investigation,” Deegan posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday morning.

A video posted on X shows two officers fighting with two spectators in the stands.

Other onlookers could be heard on the video screaming at the officers to stop, including someone who shouted, “Why are you hitting him?”

The 15-second video, posted on X Saturday night by Ohio-based Tate at Barstool Tateon, had 15 million views by mid-morning Sunday.

The video does not show the circumstances of the incident nor does it identify the officers in the video, although both are wearing JSO uniforms.

A separate video shows police using a stun gun on another bystander

An Instagram video appears to show an argument escalating into an altercation between a man and two JSO officers in the stands, First Coast News, the Times-Union's news partner, reported.

In this video, an officer can be seen pointing his stun gun at the man, who then gets up from his seat and attempts to pull the wires from his body. The officer uses the stun gun again and the man falls forward into the row of seats in front of him, the Instagram video says.

A fight then breaks out between the man and the officers who wrestle with him. At one point, the man is heard saying, “I'm not going to jail.” The fight continues with police officers punching him and then pinning him against the seats as they handcuff him, the Instagram video shows.

The Instagram video does not show the circumstances that led to the confrontation.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is reviewing videos

The sheriff's office said on social media that it would not comment until the review is complete.

“The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Professional Standards Division is aware of videos circulating from the Georgia-Florida football game. Administrative reviews of the incidents are currently underway. Therefore, the agency will not comment until all facts are known and reviews are completed,” the sheriff’s office posted.

The sheriff's office did not say how long that review might take.