JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A viral video circulating on social media captures the moment a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) officer punches a 16-year-old in the face during a Wednesday night at an Arlington McDonald’s.
The incident occurred shortly after JSO shut down a “teen takeover” involving over 200 young people at nearby Blue Cypress Park. While authorities reported three arrests for fighting and investigated reports of shots fired at a neighboring apartment complex.
In the footage, an officer is seen striking Ashley Butler’s son, a 16- year-old teenager, in the face and throwing him to the ground before applying handcuffs. The video also captures a tense exchange between Butler and the officer immediately following the strike.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
“You punched him,” Butler says in the recording. “Yes, I did,” the officer responds. “Right in the face.”
Butler told reporters she learned of the arrest from her son’s friends. JSO officials stated the 16-year-old was detained for a pedestrian citation and resisting arrest without violence. According to the police report, the teen “tensed up and pulled back” while being detained, which officers say led to the use of force.
During the recorded encounter, officers informed Butler they suspected her son was a “ringleader” who guided the large group across the street—a claim Butler disputes. Officers justified the physical response by citing the volatile environment.
“In our experience and training, he can be starting an attack,” an officer is heard saying on the video. “With shots fired, we don’t know if he’s armed. We don’t know your son.” Butler maintained that her son does not own a weapon.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Local defense attorney Chris Carson, who has no connection to the case but reviewed the footage, noted that while law enforcement is granted leeway in using force to detain individuals, the age of the suspect should be a factor.
“I’d like to see the police exercise more restraint when dealing with children than they would when dealing with full-grown adults,” Carson said.
JSO maintains the officer acted within department guidelines. A spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Office stated in an email, “Cell phone video and body-worn camera footage of this incident have been reviewed, and it was determined that there are no policy violations regarding use of force.”
The 16-year-old was detained for resisting an officer without violence and a pedestrian citation.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.