Disclaimer: Some may find the details in the following story graphic in nature. Discretion is advised.
An autopsy report has been released by the Medical Examiner’s Office in the death of an 18-year-old man, who died during a traffic stop involving Jacksonville police.
During the traffic stop in Nov. 2020, investigators said Devon Gregory fired a shot while inside the car as officers were trying to get him out, and officers then fired multiple shots into the car.
In the report, the medical examiner confirmed that Gregory shot himself. The report noted stippling in the gunshot wound to his forehead, which indicates it was fired from close range.
The medical examiner also located 23 other gunshot wounds, including another penetrating wound to his head and nine more to his back.
Because of the number of gunshot wounds to vital parts of Gregory’s body, the medical examiner was unable to pinpoint the shot that killed him and has listed the manner of death as undetermined.
Notably, the examiner also found dog bite wounds on Gregory’s body. After the shooting stopped, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office deployed a K-9, which pulled him out of the car, and he was handcuffed, which is standard protocol.
Tina Rhiles, Gregory’s cousin, said the family conducted its own private autopsy. She said the family already knew the medical examiner would rule his death “undetermined.”
“Because they’re not able to determine if that was the shot that killed him, the one that they say he performed on himself, then wouldn’t that mean that the massive amount of other bullets were predominately the cause?” she questioned.
She says the Sheriff’s Office should not have mentioned Gregory’s self-inflicted gunshot wound before the medical examiner’s report came out about the other gunshot wounds inflicted on Gregory’s body.
“You gave the damming footage out,” Rhiles said. “You took the hearts and the minds of the people away from my cousin, so nobody wants to stand up for him and fight for him.”
Body camera footage was released to the public shortly after the incident near the intersection of San Juan and Cassat avenues. An officer approaches from the driver’s side, asking if anyone in the car, explaining that he smelled what appeared to be the odor of marijuana coming from the interior. The driver gets out of the car, while the two others -- including Gregory -- remained inside.
A second officer looks into the car and sees Gregory, who appears to be smoking something, begin to reach under the seat.
“Hey, don’t reach under there,” the second officer yells. “Stop f****** reaching!”
RELATED: Authorities: 18-year-old in Jacksonville police-involved shooting had self-inflicted gunshot wound
“I’m reaching for my phone,” Gregory says while staring at the officer with a hand still under the seat.
The officers at the scene all begin yelling for Gregory to show his hands, one yelling, “You are about to get f****** shot!”
Gregory repeatedly asks to grab his phone, and an exchange continues for a couple of minutes. The situation escalates.
“Shoot me!” Gregory begins yelling repeatedly -- at least a dozen times. “F****** kill me!”
“Listen to me,” an officer says. “I promise you if you raise your hand with nothing in it, you will not get hurt.”
After several more minutes of back-and-forth, an officer approaches the car with a K-9. The young man in the back seat of the car is removed.
“Leave me! Leave me!” Gregory yells.
The video then shows Gregory put his head down between his legs. A gunshot is fired within the car, and Gregory’s head is thrown back. The officers then fire several times at the car.
Evidence technicians found 33 shell casings at the scene.
Robin Yeoumans, Gregory’s grandmother, believes someone from outside of the Jacksonville area should perform an independent autopsy.
The family does have some considerable backing, including the Rainbow Push Coalition -- the civil rights organization founded by The Rev. Jesse Jackson. Bishop Tavis Grant is part of the group and gave Gregory’s eulogy at his funeral.
“The attorneys that represent the family have been asking as late as last week to get a copy of all the video,” Tavis said. “We know that there are dashcam videos. We know that there are body cams. There were additional pieces of footage.”
The State Attorney’s Office ruled the shooting justifiable. In its conclusion, the SAO writes:
“Our role is to evaluate, review, and pursue criminal charges when the use of deadly force is not justified. We have conducted a thorough review of the evidence in this matter. And while the actions of law enforcement were justified under the law, this does not change the simple fact that Devon Gregory shot himself in the forehead. We will take no further action in this matter.”
