Disturbing videos show Florida deputies repeatedly punch fans at UF-Georgia game; sheriff's office investigating
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WFLA) – Disturbing videos captured Saturday at a college football game show Florida deputies repeatedly punching fans in the stands.
The violent incidents took place at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville during a game between the University of Florida and the University of Georgia. Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said she was in contact with Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters about the incidents.
“I’m aware of several disturbing videos circulating from [Saturday’s] game,” Deegan said on X. “We are awaiting the outcome of that investigation.”
Videos of the altercation shared online show one of the deputies on the ground with a fan, while another deputy is striking a University of Florida fan on the back of his neck after the man put his hands on the officer.
That deputy is then seen pulling out a stun gun to deliver an electric shock to the man.
Some of the surrounding fans were heard calling for the officers to stop.
"Why are you punching him?" a woman yelled in one of the videos. "You're gonna kill him!"
Another video — from a separate incident that reportedly took place at the game — appeared to show a deputy using a stun gun on a man sitting in the stands and then again after the man got to his feet. The deputy is then seen punching the man repeatedly in the head, leaving him bloodied.
It's unclear what caused the altercations, but the person who shot the first video, Jeff Daniel Clark, said one of the fans was "unruly" and "did not comply" with deputies, who were attempting to remove him from the game.
The sheriff's office did not comment on the actions of its deputies in a statement released Saturday.
"The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office’s Professional Standards Division is aware of the videos circulating from the Georgia-Florida football game. Administrative reviews of the incidents are being opened," reads the statement. "As such, the agency will not comment until all facts are known and the reviews have been completed."
Nexstar's WFLA reached out to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for further comment.
"Once all of the available information has been derived and the investigation has been completed, the original statement continues to be our posture," the sheriff's office responded.