JACKSONVILLE, Fla — New body camera footage has been released for three Jacksonville Sheriff's Office shootings the State Attorney’s Office has found to be justified.
The three videos are those of Leroy Edwards Jr., Kyon Wilkes and Timothy Lagonia. These are among 14 shootings the SAO recently found to be justified.
Edwards was shot by police in December 2019 after they say he shot two people at the Pilot Travel Center on US 301 and fled on Interstate 10.
After Edwards’ truck was found stopped on I-10, police say three officers approached. JSO says Edwards fired and missed the officers but hit a patrol car. That’s when all three officers returned fire.
Edwards survived and is charged with murder and four attempted murder charges.
In April, officers chased 24-year-old Kyon Wilkes for reckless driving, according to his arrest report.
In the body camera footage, Wilkes is shown jumping out of a vehicle before being shot by police. While Wilkes laid on the ground, he mentions he did not have a gun in his hand, but it was his cell phone.
The officer replied he saw the gun.
Wilkes survived and is set to stand trial in January on several related charges.
Timothy Lagonia was shot by police in November 2019. Lagonia’s arrest report said the officers responded to the area after reports of a suspicious person. The newly released body camera video shows Lagonia confronted by police.
They demanded he take his hands out of his pockets. That’s when Lagonia runs and is tased by an officer. The video shows Lagonia turning around, exposing a knife on the ground then he is shot by an officer multiple times.
These cases are just three of 14 JSO shootings that prosecutors determined were justified use of force.
We are still waiting on body camera footage from several other justified shootings.