State senator urges facts to come to light in Jacksonville police-involved shooting

It may be a while before the community learns what really happened in the moments leading up to a police-involved shooting in Springfield Sunday that ended with one man dead.

Some city council members are asking for is an independent review of the shooting.

State Senator Audrey Gibson, who represent the district where the incident happened, said it’s worth discussing.

“I think the idea is to have a review board that participates in reviewing all questionable shootings,” said Gibson.

JSO conducts its own investigation into police-involved shootings to determine if any policies were violated.

But before JSO can begin its investigation, the state attorney’s office has to conduct a criminal investigation.

Unlike JSO, many law enforcement agencies in the state rely on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate police-involved shootings.

Gibson said she still has some reservations about independent review boards.

“Who will sit on the board is a cause for pause because you want to make sure that that board, like any other investigation via the sheriff's office, would be fair,” said Gibson.

Gibson, who on Tuesday had preplanned meeting at JSO for something unrelated, requested an additional meeting with Sheriff Williams.

She said she encouraged him to give a public statement to help quell the tension in the community.

Cox Media Group