After further review, the enforcement stands.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said his deputies acted properly Saturday in subduing fans who refused ejection from the Florida-Georgia game after unruly behavior — including one who threatened to “kill a cop” while dropping racial slurs on a black officer and grabbing for his gun.
“I will not remain silent while important facts and information are buried to advance an anti-police agenda,” Waters said. “It’s not going to happen.”
Social media erupted after clips emerged of two separate incidents showing police throwing punches at attendees, with a chorus of online commentators calling the use of force excessive.
Waters countered that the clips lacked proper context at a Monday evening press conference, and presented body cam footage to make his case.
The first incident sparked around 4:20 p.m. when a group of children attempted to access a section and were told they had to present tickets at the packed game.
Their father, Georgia fan Walter Brown, then approached the stadium worker, shoved past her, and proceeded to his seat, Waters said.
The worker asked deputies for assistance, and they approached Brown and told him he had to leave.
“I’m either going to kill a cop or not leave. One or the other,” he declared, telling officers that the staffer tried to “kidnap” his kids.
He then pulled away from one officer — E.D. Kelly — who attempted to grab his arm before firing his taser.
After stiffening for a few moments, Brown regained his composure and started hurling slurs at Kelly.
“Now you want some, n—–?” he said. Kelly’s partner, D.J. Bowers, tried to grab him by the shirt as he backed away, but Brown again refused to comply.
Kelly tased him a second time, sending him into a series of spasms before he fell over a seat.
Brown was not incapacitated and tried to stand up as Kelly rained down punches with a handcuff in his hand.
JSO officials said Kelly was not using the handcuffs as a weapon, and was holding them to place them on Brown.
Now bleeding from the side of his head, Brown continued to grapple with the Kelly and at one point could be seen with his hand grasping the deputy’s gun.
A bystander could be heard offering legal advice during the rumble, telling Brown that he should file a lawsuit. “This n—– right here…,” Brown could be heard muttering again while being led away.
“Dad, are you okay?” his son asked before the clip ended.
The second incident sparked around 6 p.m. when a Georgia fan approached a deputy and told him that a group of Gator backers were harassing another stadium worker.
Police approached the three men in question — Brandon Boley, Alexander Long and Michael Long — and told them they had to leave.
The spectators insisted that they did not deserve expulsion and refused to leave. An officer attempted to grab one of them and repeatedly hit him in the head when he resisted.
A separate member of his group bear-hugged another deputy from behind, setting off a second melee that at one point included a Georgia fan holding him down while an officer attempted to handcuff him.
One of the men was tased after getting up off the ground before all three were taken into custody.
“Good job, officer,” a fan could be heard saying as the threesome was hauled up the stadium steps.
Waters said the men were “aggressive” and “non-compliant.”
“We’re not playing games here,” he said. “This is real life. These things turn ugly really quickly.”
None of the officers have been disciplined and were on the job the next day, Waters said.
Mayor Donna Deegan, who called the clips “disturbing” Sunday, has not reacted to the Monday press conference and Waters’ defense of his officers.
