JACKSONVILLE, Fla — The Southern Poverty Law Center is adding its name to the list of those calling for an investigation into the death of 18-year-old Devon Gregory, who died during an exchange of gunfire with police in Jacksonville last week.
On Tuesday, Nov. 17, four police officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office stopped a vehicle on San Juan Avenue near Cassat Avenue in the Lakeshore area.
Police said during the stop, the front-seat passenger, later identified as Gregory by friends and family members, became "agitated" and officers tried to de-escalate the situation without success. JSO Chief T.K. Waters said the exchange resulted in gunfire from all four officers. Waters said a handgun was located in the passenger seat where the Gregory was sitting.
The medical examiner said Gregory shot himself. The medical examiner has not determined whether the self-inflicted shot or the shots by police were fatal.
The officers were placed on administrative leave, according to protocol. Police say the circumstances that led up to the shooting are still being investigated.
On Monday, the SPLC released a statement saying in part that Gregory's death "reflects an ongoing pattern of American police departments' extrajudicial killings, unnecessary lethal force and violence against young Black people."
The nonprofit civil rights organization joins Bishop Tavis Grant and Rev. Jesse Jackson in demanding a broader investigation into Gregory's death.
The State Attorney's Office will be conducting its own investigation, but SPLC says the state attorney should involve federal agencies and investigators in its probe.
The full statement from SPLC Chief of Staff Lecia Brooks is below:
“Our hearts break for the family and loved ones of Devon Gregory. Devon should be alive today and his death reflects an ongoing pattern of American police departments’ extrajudicial killings, unnecessary lethal force and violence against young Black people.
“The JSO’s default to aggression and force in what should have been a routine traffic stop underscores the very reasons why Black Americans’ mistrust and fear of the police has only grown. Until the police killings stop, the collective trauma and stresses that Black Americans must face during police encounters will only escalate.
“We demand a full investigation into the death of Devon. This incident requires a thorough investigation from the attorney general of the state of Florida, as well as the state’s cooperation with federal agencies and investigators.”