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The Jacksonville Sheriff responds to violent arrests in Florida and Georgia

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(This story has been updated to accurately reflect the most current information.)

Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters will hold a news conference at 5 p.m. today to address the use of force by police that millions of viewers saw in videos at Saturday's Florida-Georgia game at EverBank Stadium .

A sheriff's office spokesman said Waters will provide “body-worn camera footage, relevant context and facts for each situation, as well as the status of regulatory reviews.”

The Times-Union advises viewers to view the attached videos critically due to their violent content and use of profanity.

The sheriff's office's response has been limited.

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

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Mayor Donna Deegan also released this statement Sunday morning:

“I have seen several disturbing videos circulating from yesterday’s game. I have spoken to Sheriff Waters and the incidents are currently under investigation. We are waiting for the outcome of this investigation,” the mayor said.

The Times-Union also requested the number of sheriff's office employees employed at the game, the number of arrests and any corresponding arrest reports. The Times-Union also noted at least 10 jail log entries about Saturday's arrests for assault on a police officer, resisting an officer, disorderly intoxication, disturbing public order and trespassing/refusal to leave the building. It has not been verified whether some or all of these were present at the game.

What do the police videos show between Florida and Georgia?

Jeremy Williamson posted one of the videos on his Instagram account.

He believes it started when officials tried to check a fan's digital tickets, but the man said he paid for his seats and didn't leave. When two officers try to get him to cooperate, they become impatient and one of the officers uses his Taser on him. He is seen grabbing the man's shirt and pulling him away.

He appears to knock out the Taser barbs and is shot with them again. He twitches, is pushed into a row of chairs and punched repeatedly by one of the officers, while the video recorder screams “This is assault” probably five times: “This won't work!” Other fans scream as he continues to struggle as the officers try to gain control over him until he is handcuffed and bleeding from the head.

“You will both lose your jobs,” says the voice behind the cell phone recorder. “…And you're wondering why we don't all respect you.”

Williamson told the Times-Union in a telephone interview on Sunday that this was excessive and unnecessary.

“What we saw was 100% wrong,” he said. “It was police brutality. Regardless of the words that came out of this man’s mouth, there was absolutely no excuse for what they did.”

In another video posted by Tate of Ohio at Barstool Tate on X, two officials are seen repeatedly punching and fighting with two fans in the stands. One is lying on top of a man on the stairs and punching him, the other repeatedly punches another man while the fan is bent over and has his arm around the officer.

Other fans can be heard gasping and screaming, including someone screaming, “Why are you hitting him?”

The video does not show the circumstances that led to the use of force. The officers in both videos appear to be wearing Jacksonville Sheriff's Office uniforms.

Who was arrested in Florida-Georgia riot with Jacksonville police?

The sheriff's office has not yet released the names and it is unclear whether they will at the upcoming press conference.

However, the Times-Union checked court records and prison records for two men and found that the fans in the second video were a father and son from Orange Park. Michael Wayne Long, 58, and Alexander Michael Long, 27, were each charged Saturday with assault on a police officer, resisting an officer, disorderly intoxication – disturbing public order and trespassing/disobeying orders to leave the house. Each was released on $5,000 bail.

The son referred the Times-Union to attorney George Fallis, who issued the following statement: “I am waiting for the sheriff's office to conduct its investigation before commenting on the case.”

This story will be updated after the press conference.

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