I'm Mike Shell, the chief of professional standards for the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. Today, we are releasing information regarding the circumstances of Leon Wood's arrest on September 29th, 2023 near Toledo Road in P Avenue in Jacksonville, Florida. This information will provide you with a better understanding of what happened as well as what was known to law enforcement prior to the incident. While this incident remains under administrative review, we are releasing the bodywn camera footage in this briefing due to significant public interest surrounding this incident. Based on the currently available information, the agency believes that the involved detectives acted appropriately with respect to the law and JSO policy. However, our understanding of this incident may change if additional evidence is collected and reviewed. A word of caution, the images and information that will be presented may be graphic. When a police officer uses force to arrest someone, it can be disturbing and difficult to watch. Viewer discretion is advised. Leon Woods, a 24-year-old male, sustained facial injuries when he fled from detectives of the JSO gang unit who were attempting to arrest him after witnessing him conducting a drug transaction. Based on observations of a detective from the gang unit, Woods was believed to be armed with a firearm in his right front pants pocket during a drug transaction. Woods is affiliated with local undocumented group has been connected to violent crimes, narcotics distribution, and firearms proliferation. He's been recorded in drill rap videos with documented group and gang members. In 2018, Woods was arrested for murder stemming from a homicide in Tallahassee, Florida. Woods plead guilty in 2022 to an amended robbery charge pertaining to that murder arrest and is currently on probation. Based on his actions before and during this incident, Woods was arrested on September 29th for multiple crimes, including armed trafficking and methamphetamine, armed trafficking and cocaine, armed possession of a controlled substance, and resisting an officer. Once Wood's new local criminal charges have been disposed, he will be transported to Lyon County, Florida to resolve his probation case in which he is currently in active violation. In the early afternoon of September 29th, 2023, members of JSO's gang unit were conducting surveillance near Toledo Road and Powers Avenue, a known area frequented by members of a group that has been involved in recent incidents of local violence. Detective Gerrigo was parked in an undercover vehicle at a gas station on P Avenue conducting surveillance when he observed a gray Dodge Durango. Although the truck was parked at the gas pumps, no one associated with it was pumping gas. Then a gray Dodge Ram arrived in the gas station parking lot. An individual, later determined to be Woods, exited from the front passenger seat of the Ram. Detective Gerriga observed a weighted object clipped in Wood's right pants pocket, which based on his training and experience appeared to the detective to be a handgun. Detective Gera notified the nearby gang of detectives that Woods was armed with a firearm. Detective Gria then observed Woods get into the backseat of the park Durango, remove money from his person, and began counting bills. Woods visibly handed a sum of money to one of the individuals in Durango, exited the SUV, and walked quickly back to the ram, concealing something in his arms. Once Woods re-entered the ram, the driver backed the truck out of the parking lot. Detective Grian notified nearby detectives that he had seen an occupant of the ram engage in a drug transaction. Based on this shared information, detectives Dagel and Sullivan followed behind the ram in their unmarked police vehicles. Detective Dagel activated his emergency lights in an attempt to conduct a traffic stop on the ram. The driver of the ram, however, did not immediately stop his vehicle. Rather, the ram drove until it had to stop at a dead end located in the 8200 block of Kensington Gardens Lane. Knowing that at least one of the truck occupants was armed with a firearm, detectives Dagel and Sullivan conducted a traffic stop with their service weapons drawn. Shortly after the ram stopped, Woods fled from the passenger seat of the vehicle and was chased on foot by Detective Sullivan. Detective Dagel approached the truck on the driver's side. Assisted by Detective Bias, who arrived shortly after the traffic stop, Detective Dagel took the driver and backseat passenger of the Ram into custody without incident. The driver was identified as Vontes Wright II, who was arrested for the felony charge of driving on a suspended license as a habitual traffic offender. The backseat passenger, Raymond Wilson, a known gang affiliate, admitted to Detective Dagel that he was armed with a firearm. Ultimately, detectives located this firearm on Wilson's person. Both Wright and Wilson complied with police directives, and they were both taken into custody without incident. After Wright and Wilson were taken into custody, detectives searched the ram and discovered significant quantities of multiple narcotics, including methamphetamine, fentinyl, cocaine, and oxycodone. Because Woods fled on foot from the front passenger seat of the ram, Detective Sullivan ran after Woods, repeatedly commanding Woods to stop. Ignoring police commands, Woods continued running. Detective Sullivan then yelled to Woods that if he did not stop, he would be tased. Woods continued running and Detective Sullivan armed himself with his agencyisssued conducted energy weapon, commonly referred to as a taser. Detective Sullivan deployed the taser once and the device appeared to have no effect on Woods, who continued running. Then, Detective Sullivan deployed the taser a second time, which appeared to immediately cause Woods to experience neuromuscular incapacitation. Woods immediately stopped moving and fell straight forward, hitting his face on the pavement. The impact immediately caused visible abrasions, bleeding, and swelling. When Detective Sullivan attempted to take Woods into custody, Woods continued to resist. While Detective Sullivan was struggling to gain Woods compliance, Detective Gera arrived and assisted Detective Sullivan in gaining control of the resisting Woods. While Woods was unhandcuffed, Detective Gera need Woods in the upper. Based on the bodywn camera footage, it appears that some of those knee strikes may have been to Wood's head. During the struggle, other gangu detectives arrived to assist detectives Sullivan and Gera, including detective McCulla. Detectives Sullivan, Gera, and McCulla ultimately overcame Wood's resistance and handcuffed him. Once handcuffed, but prior to being thoroughly searched in the handcuffs properly tightened, Woods moved his secured hands back towards the area of his right front pants pocket. Detective McCulla repositioned Woods and directed Woods to stop moving. Woods was then positioned in the upright seated position and paramedics were called to the scene. Rescue responded and transported Woods to an area medical center for treatment. Woods was absentee booked on multiple criminal charges associated with this incident. Because all the detectives were outfitted with bodywn cameras on their chest, this response to resistance incident was audio and video recorded. The first portion of footage you will see and hear was captured by the bodywn camera of Detective Dagel, the detective who initially stopped the ram and took Wright and Wilson into custody with the assistance of Detective Bias. here. We can just call them back to us. Let me see your hands. All y'all's hands. Turn the truck off. Let me see your hands. Driver. Call it out. Yeah. 8877. Give us 1033 for just a minute. We're doing a felony take down in Kensington Square. 8202. Oh, you have 333. 87. It's going to be 8204 Kensington Square. Hey man. Hey. Hey. We got one running. All black. All black. Don't you [ __ ] move. Hey, show me your hands, driver. Show me your hands. All black. All black. Black hoodie. Black pants. I got I got like three here. So, hey, we'll do an L L formation on them so I can see who else is in the car. Who else is in the car? Who else is in the car? Nobody. Where they at? Hey, there's two. Comfortable pulling them out. Huh? Do what? You have a gun on you. Okay. Well, if you drop I appreciate you telling me, but if you drop your hands, you're going to get shot. Do you understand? All right. So, keep your hands there. Red shirt. Do you have a gun on you? Okay. Being that you don't have a gun, you're going to stay put where you're at. Okay. Do not move. On the outside of the door, open the door. Do not tuck your hands below the door. Keep your hands up. Thank you for telling me. Is your last name Wilson? You Raymond? Okay, just keep your hands up. I see the gun. Walk to me. Do not drop your hands. Do you understand? You have lethal. I got hands on. All right, don't drop. 928 to the zone district 3 task force units. Can y'all give us some updates? Y'all need us to move normal. Direction of travel unit. You got the zero? Yeah. All right. 537. I'm in the area. Sit down on the ground for me. You got anything else? How are you? My 22. Okay. Cross your legs. Cross your legs. All right. Hey, we can walk in back to me. 343. Don't drop your hands. Keep your hands up. Turn around. You got You got a cup. Bring your hands behind you. Hey Ray, don't don't sit back on them cuffs. All right, I got to lock them. Did your brother run? Is that your brother? Oh [ __ ] My bad, man. My bad. Put your hands together like they're praying. Like they're praying. 746 here still. Where is chasing? Where are you? Give us an update. The second portion of footage you will see and hear was captured by the bodywn camera of detective bias. The detective who assisted detective Dagel in taking Wright and Wilson into custody. Hands up. I've seen a gun. Do not drop your hands. Hands up. Roger. Three task force units. You'll give us some updates. normal direction travel got some money. How much money you got? 28 2800. Where you working at, L? Three service. Put your hands back for me. There you go. Nugle weed. Some nugger weed. Oh yes. Big daddy. Bingo. Hey, dagle. Where'd you find that at? Right here. Burberry box. Three4 of the cookie. That Yeah, math. That's powder cocaine fresh off the brick because you can smell it. Last probably be fatty. The third portion of footage you will see in here was captured by the bodywn camera of detective Sullivan. the detective who ran after the fleeing woods and arrested him with the assistance of detectives Gera and McCulla. Roll down all the windows. 3359 Holiday 335 1051 and Freedom. You want 1033 for a minute? HQ8707, give us 1033 for just a minute. Uh, we're doing a felony takedown in Kensington Square Apartments. Oh yeah. 1033 8707. It's going to be 8204 Kensington Square. Hey man. Hey. You're [ __ ] You're [ __ ] You are so [ __ ] All black in black, man. I'm going to tase you. I'm going to tase you. Got to get on the ground. Get on the ground. Get on the ground. Where they at? Stay on your stomach. Put your hands behind your back. You're going to get it again. You're going to get it again. Put your hands behind your back. It's going to be 8204. Hey square. You hear me? Yeah. Put your hands behind your back. Put your Put your hands behind your back. Put your hands behind your back. Keep them back. Don't even got nothing. Put your hands behind your back. They're behind me. You're going to get tas task force units. Give me your hands. Yo, give us some updates. Yo, behind your back. God damn it. All right, let me do it. Put your hand out of your back. All right, man. Get your hands behind your back. Give that hand. Hey. Hey. Pivot. Pivot. Pivot. Hand. I can't get pivot hand. He's still fighting. Give it hand. Give it hand. Give it a hand. He's still pulling. Still pulling. Give me your hand. Get it. Give it. [ __ ] He's still fighting. Got it. There we go. He comes on. He goes the [ __ ] Got it. No. N. Yeah. You got it. 46. I don't know. Can you check him? Hey, man. Stop [ __ ] moving. The fourth portion of footage you will see and hear was captured by the body warn camera of Detective Gera, the detective who witnessed Woods engage in the drug transaction and then who helped Detective Sullivan gain compliance over the resisting Woods. Hey, take a hand. Fight still. Give me a hand. Hey. Hey. Give it. [Applause] Give it. Give it a hand. Give it a hand. He's still fighting. Still give it hand. Give a [ __ ] hand. Give it a hand. Still pulling. Give me your hand. God damn it. Got it. There we go. Here it comes. What the [ __ ] Got it. Give me your hands. Yeah, you got it. Where are you chasing? Where are you? [Music] 8703 to 100. We uh got one in custody. I don't know about Bode yet. Um we have supervisor responding for RTR tas. Stop [ __ ] moving. Sway, you're saying that that was outstanding. If you chasing another one, if so, do you have a description? You got assets coming to you. Let me know where we can 100 from 8701. 8707 was chasing an individual on foot for Kensington Square Apartments. We began at 8204 Kington Square and um he was wearing all black. 8707. Is he in custody? Yeah, we uh we got one in custody. He was still fighting us pretty good. We can get a canine. If we can get a K9 in route, so we can do the AR search just in case it threw a zero. The fifth portion of footage you will see in here was captured by the body warn camera of Detective McCulla. The second detective who assisted Detective Sullivan gain compliance over the resisting woods. We got RCR. Hey man, stop [ __ ] moving. Quit. JSO is aware that the cell phone camera footage of this incident has been circulating on social media since the evening of September 29th, 2023. This footage appears to have been recorded a significant distance from the place of Wood's apprehension. Additionally, some versions of this footage appear to have been edited to imply that Detective McCulla kicked a handcuff woods. Body warn camera footage along with unedited versions of the cell phone video camera footage on social media both definitively indicate that Detective McCulla never kicked a handcuff woods. ASO will continue its administrative review of this incident and the actions of all the involved detectives. Once the administrative process is completed, all reports associated with this investigation will be publicly released. Because of this administration's commitment to transparency to the public that we serve, the bodywn camera footage associated with this incident is now available on the JSO transparency site. Members of the public can immediately access the bodywn camera footage of the detectives involved in Wood's arrests. On behalf of Sheriff Waters and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, thank you for your time and attention.