Mayor Donna Deegan pinned her absence from the emotional funeral for murdered Jacksonville Beach corrections officer Brad McNew on a “miscommunication” with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
“Due to a miscommunication between the Mayor’s Office and Sheriff’s Office, the mayor was unaware of the funeral when she arrived back in Jacksonville early Tuesday morning,” her reps said in a statement. “She continues to keep the McNew family and first responder community in her heart during this time of grief.”
McNew was laid to rest on Tuesday in front of hundreds of mourners at Oaklawn Cemetery.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters offered a terse opinion on Deegan not attending the service after returning from a trip to Europe.
“We are incredibly grateful to the hundreds of folks from across this city who showed up to mourn the loss of Officer McNew and to wrap their arms around his family and our department,” he said. “The outpouring of love and support is what’s needed most right now. What politicians choose to make time for is not my concern.”
McNew was shot dead at a Jacksonville gas station earlier this month after he intervened in a woman’s assault.
DeMaurea Grant, a convicted felon, shot McNew after the veteran deputy saw him throw a woman to the ground and tried to help.
He was later arrested in North Carolina and brought back to Jacksonville to face murder charges.
McNew, who was married with a child, was hailed as a tireless advocate for his Jacksonville Beach community and a dedicated volunteer at community events.
One Response
So if there is miscommunication on such a simple correspondence as to what time or date a funeral is planned then what other types of communications are not being handled correctly. This is just proof of the ineptness of the current city administration. I believe it’s just a lack of caring and time to vote out people that do not even care to show up for a funeral.