JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — First Coast News reported in April an officer shot and killed 43-year-old Kevin Mahan. JSO was initially called to the 7200 block of Morse Avenue, on the city's Westside, for a person described as mentally ill.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office published the body camera video from this shooting, but it raised some eyebrows from members in the community.
In the video you can hear, "put the hatchet down!" the officer can be heard in the video yelling commands at Mahan.
The officer can be heard telling Mahan to put the ax down four times. Mahan can be heard saying "man, listen bro..." and then the officer shoots him in the head.
Then-chief TK Waters said that Mahan stood up and raised the ax. The officer fired one shot and killed Mahan at the scene.
But there has been tons of claims and questions from the community surrounding this shooting, so we are going to get a couple things verified.
THE QUESTIONS
Are police officers trained to deal with mental health issues?
Are police required to name officers who kill in the line of duty?
THE SOURCES
First Coast News Crime Expert Mark Baughman, has over 30 years of law enforcement.
THE ANSWERS
Yes, police officers trained to deal with mental health issues.
No, police in the state of Florida are not required to identify officers in many cases.
WHAT WE FOUND
Baughman says there’s a number of individuals that may be battling some mental health issues. He says officers do receive training while they are in the academy as well as in service training which is ongoing training throughout their career.
He also says police are not required to identify officers who shot and killed someone in the line of duty. Baughman says they typically are not going to release the name of the officers until that officer involved shooting investigation has been concluded but also if the officer is potentially a victim in the shooting incident, they do fall under Marsy’s law.
Marsy’s Law seeks to give crime victims meaningful and enforceable constitutional rights equal to the rights of the accused according to Marsy’s Law for All.