JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Three men arrested in connection to a homicide in Downtown Jacksonville are accused of chasing the victim down before one of them shot him, according to police records.
Ryan Nichols, 19, is charged with murder and Daniel DeGuardia, 18, and Holden Dodson, 21, are charged with accessory after the fact.
Nichols is being held without bond at the Duval County Jail, while DeGaurdia's bail is set at $503,000 and Dodson has his bond set at $203,000.
The three men, all of whom are white, were arrested in St. Johns County Wednesday -- the day after a 39-year-old Black man was found dead next to a dumpster.
A law enforcement source close to the case, as well as Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Christian Hancock, say there is no evidence to suggest this is a hate crime.
But when the three men were in court for their first appearance, Duval County Judge Kimberly Sadler warned them their charges could be upgraded to include hate crimes.
When First Coast News asked about her comments, Sadler said, "I'm not the state, it's up to them, of course, what charges they bring. But it was just a bunch of white guys chasing a Black guy... Doesn't sound great."
The police report is heavily redacted. The victim was seen (whether by a witness, or captured on camera, is unclear, due to redactions) running with Nichols chasing him, according to the report. A Jeep was seen driving on adjacent streets, "presumably searching for the victim."
Later, the Jeep was seen driving South on Clay Street; when the victim was seen running North, Nichols jumped out of the car and chased him on foot, his arrest report says.
Early Tuesday morning, the victim was found dead beside a dumpster in the 500 block of Ashley Street according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. The witness who found him was able to flag down a JSO bailiff who was passing and was able to get officers to the scene.