JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Newly-released body camera video released by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office shows the moments gunfire erupts and officers chase after a teenage suspect outside a Jacksonville high school football game on Aug. 18.
Duval County Public Schools police called Jacksonville Sheriff's Office prior to the football game at First Coast High School alerting them that they were expecting a large fight at the event.
"They had intelligence that there were going to be two rival groups there of some sort, that there was bad blood between them. There was something that didn't, that wasn't good," First Coast News Crime and Safety Expert Mark Baughman said.
Moments before shots were fired, officers pulled over a car, arresting two occupants for illegal firearms outside of the school.
Then a fight broke out in the parking lot of the school. The body camera video shows officers quickly responding to control it in the parking lot of the high school, then quickly turning their attention to the sound of gunshots nearby.
"Hey, white shirt, white shirt, white shirt," an officer is heard yelling describing what the suspect is wearing.
Jacksonville Sheriff's officers also shout orders at him while in pursuit.
"Drop the gun, drop the gun."
Officers shoot at him, firing multiple shots.
"Shots fired, shots fired," an officer screams into his radio.
Officers, then, run across the street and hold the suspect at gunpoint.
"Hey, he's running to the Daily's, he's running to the Daily's. Get on the f***** ground now, I'll f***** kill you."
The suspect is 15-year-old Devonn Thompson. Thompson was shot in the right hip and grazed in the head.
"You shoot yourself?" an officer asks Thompson.
"No, you shot me," Thompson said.
Thompson was taken to the hospital for his injuries and was released.
Baughman says officers took the action they needed to get the situation under control.
"I think that the firing upon the suspect was justifiable, he still presents a danger to the community, he doesn't discard the weapon in his flight, fleeing," Baughman said.
JSO says the gun found tucked inside Thompson's pants was reported stolen on August 13th during a car theft.
"Don't leave your guns in cars, even if you're locking them, don't do it, just take them in the house secure them," Baughman said.
Thompson is facing multiple charges for the discharge of a weapon, possession of a firearm on school property and carrying a concealed weapon.
JSO says the next step in the investigation is a review of the officers' actions by the State Attorney's Office, then the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office will decide if the actions were within department policy.