JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man was killed by an officer Thursday evening in the Arlington Manor area, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Police said around 4 p.m., officers were doing some surveillance on “some known gang members” who were “flashing guns back and forth” and engaging in drug-related activities near Justina Road.
After noticing that, officers said they put a plan together to go up and make contact with the three people involved.
According to JSO, as officers approached them, two of the three complied with their commands. However, police said the third one took off running with his gun and an officer followed him.
Police said the man drew the gun, and the officer fired four times, hitting the suspect once. The man then went to the ground and dropped the gun.
The officer continued to give him commands while he was on the ground, but according to police, he did not comply and instead stood up and raised his hands.
According to JSO, the man, who was injured from the shooting, continued to run away from the officer and jumped a wall.
Shortly after, officers were able to find him and take him into custody.
Then, officers began rendering aid until first responders took him to a nearby hospital where he died.
Police identified the man as 30-year-old Dejuane Aki Hayden on Thursday night.
The other two suspects stayed at the scene and were taken into custody, according to JSO.
JSO said it is aware of a video circulating on social media that purportedly showed the moment the JSO officer started shooting.
But JSO said in a statement on Friday that the video is misleading and was not recorded where the shooting happened.
“The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the officer-involved shooting that occurred yesterday off Justina Road. Since he took office, Sheriff Waters has been committed to being transparent with the community, including releasing body worn camera footage of critical incidents within 21 days. The Sheriff remains committed to releasing the footage in this investigation as well. The Sheriff’s Office is also aware of video circulating on social media that was recorded near the scene of the shooting. 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,” JSO said in a statement.
News4JAX is also aware and has seen the video but is now working to verify its contents and choosing not to publish it.
JSO identified the officer involved in the shooting as Bradley Griffitts, who had been working for the sheriff’s office for 6 years.
This is Griffitts' second officer-involved shooting, according to JSO.
This marked the fifth officer-involved shooting this year, according to JSO.
The State Attorney’s Office is conducting an independent investigation.
