JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An on-campus confrontation and a series of threatening statements made on Facebook Live have led to the arrest of a Trinity Christian Academy parent.
Damascus Ellison, 38, is accused of showing up to the private school the morning of Sept. 11 despite a court order forbidding him from being there. About an hour after he was escorted off campus, police say he posted two videos containing threats to school officials.
Ellison remains in custody in the Duval County jail, where he’s been held without bond since his arrest on a list of felony charges including aggravated assault on a school employee, two counts of threats to kill or do bodily injury, and aggravated domestic stalking.
In a statement released through a spokesman Monday, Trinity Christian Academy Head of School David Welling acknowledged the Sept. 11 incident and praised the intervention of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office:
“Due to the great work of JSO, in less than 24 hours, this individual was apprehended and is currently in custody. TCA greatly appreciates the men and women of JSO and the swift action that was taken."
According to Ellison’s arrest report, he entered the private school about 7:30 a.m. Sept. 11 and tried to remove one of his children from class. The vice principal, knowing Ellison was banned from school property, said he repeatedly refused to release the child to Ellison.
“I’ll be back. I don’t have a gun, but I know how to use my hands,” the vice principal recalled hearing Ellison say before he left, according to the report. The vice principal told investigators the incident left him worried about his own safety as well as that of students and staff.
It was while looking into that initial incident that an officer learned of a Facebook Live video in which Ellison was accused of making threatening remarks about school officials, judges and his estranged wife. The wife told police she feared for hers and her children’s lives.
“Give me one good reason that you shouldn’t be shot. Give me one good reason that you shouldn’t be shot for what you’re doing right now and what you’ve done by holding back my rights as a father,” Ellison can be heard saying in one video clip, the report stated.
The outburst continued from there.
“How are my kids going to honor me when you don’t? If I don’t stand my ground, what are they going to think? They’re going to think it’s okay to dishonor me. They’re going to follow your witchcraft, your rebellion,” Ellison continued, according to the arrest report.
“Why shouldn’t (my wife), who has dishonored me, be shot?”
It’s unclear what might have led up to the incident. Duval County court records show Ellison is in the middle of a divorce and a custody battle over the couple’s children.
Records show this marks Ellison’s fifth arrest in Duval County. He’s been arrested previously for violations of court orders for protection against domestic violence. In 2017, he was arrested on accusations of domestic violence, but that case was ultimately dropped.
An arraignment hearing for Ellison is set for Oct. 5.
Below is a copy of Trinity Christian Academy’s complete statement on the incident:
Before school started Friday morning (9/11/2020), a parent who is prohibited from entering TCA grounds was intercepted by campus security. By the time JSO arrived on the scene, the parent was quietly escorted off campus by 8AM without incident. JSO gathered all the information they needed and ensured our ongoing safety.
Approximately one hour after this incident, the same individual posted a video verbalizing threats directed to a wide variety of local authorities. JSO was notified again and immediately responded by increasing the security presence on campus and posting units at main campus entrances while they continued their search for the individual.
Due to the great work of JSO, in less than 24 hours, this individual was apprehended and is currently in custody. TCA greatly appreciates the men and women of JSO and the swift action that was taken.
TCA continually updates and reviews security protocols to ensure that our students and staff are safe at all times.
David Welling, Head of School