JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A woman is raising concerns about potential excessive use of force after her boyfriend, Dasaun Williams, was the target of a long-term drug investigation called “Operation Red Light.”
The operation was carried out on Nov. 5 by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and resulted in the arrest of four known gang members.
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JSO said it seized 22 guns and removed more than 1,000 grams of illegal drugs from Jacksonville’s streets.
The videos of multiple officers’ bodycam footage show the moments JSO officers wrestled Williams to the ground and tased him on his back and legs. They also show officers repeatedly kicking Williams’ face and back.
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Williams’ mugshot shows visual injuries. His girlfriend, who requested we blur her face, told us that Williams lost hearing in one of his ears and received nine stitches following the incident.
“Ya’ll wanted him to comply, he complied, he did what ya’ll told him to do,” Williams’ girlfriend said. “He didn’t pose a threat to y’all, so what was the purpose of all of it?”
It’s important to note that Action News Jax does not know what occurred in the lead-up to the use of force shown in the videos.
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Williams was ultimately charged with 27 criminal counts, including drug trafficking, the sale of fentanyl, and the sale of methamphetamine. This marks his sixth arrest with JSO.
When asked what she would say to viewers who found the use of force justified, considering his criminal history and most recent arrest, his girlfriend responded with, “No matter the situation, he’s still a human being at the end of the day. He didn’t deserve to get beat the way he got beat.”
JSO said Thursday that it is aware of the video being shared on social media and, as a result, “the incident is currently being administratively reviewed.” They are withholding comment until that review is complete.
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