Jacksonville Sheriff Releases Body Cam Footage of Le’Keian Woods’ Arrest Amid Calls for DOJ Investigation

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters has unveiled body camera footage from the widely-publicized arrest of Le’Keian Woods, asserting that the force used during the arrest was justifiable. However, Woods' family is demanding a thorough investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ), viewing the incident as another example of injustice.


Woods, aged 24, was taken into custody by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office on various drug-related charges on Friday, according to the arrest and booking report. The report states that the JSO’s Gang Unit tracked a gray Dodge Durango to a gas station, where an individual dressed in all black with a hood covering their head exited the vehicle. The officer later identified this individual as Woods and suspected that he was involved in a drug transaction.


The body camera footage, described by [Chief of Professional Standards Mike Shell](https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2023/10/03/body-cam-footage-shows-arrest-of-jacksonville-man-left-seriously-injured/), depicts the detective warning Woods that he would be tased if he did not stop running. Subsequently, the officer deployed a stun gun, causing Woods to stumble but persist in his attempt to flee. The officer tased Woods a second time, resulting in him falling face-first onto the pavement. The video captures Woods visibly bleeding, although the specific location of his injury remains unclear.


Due to Woods holding onto the front of his waistline during the pursuit, the pursuing detective inferred that he may have been armed. When the detective attempted to handcuff Woods, the report alleges that Woods continued to resist arrest. At this point, additional officers arrived to assist the detective. The report states that it took three detectives and a patrol officer to successfully place Woods in handcuffs.


During the altercation, Woods was struck a total of 17 times, enduring punches and "unintentional" knee strikes to the face, along with elbow strikes to the eye and punches to the ribs, according to the police report. The video captures him audibly groaning in pain and struggling to breathe. After multiple strikes, the officers managed to restrain Woods, placing his arms behind his back and handcuffing him. However, the viral moment when Woods was slammed onto the ground was not included in the footage shown during the press conference.


Presently, Woods' family, along with attorneys Harry Daniels and Marwan Porter, are questioning the officers' use of force and the level of "transparency" demonstrated by the department.


Porter commented, "If you're going to preach transparency, practice transparency, full transparency. By them only playing a part of the body cam video, it causes more questions. It raises more questions than what it answers."


The attorneys revealed that since Woods was transferred to jail, his face remains swollen, impairing his eyesight. Additionally, he has experienced bouts of dizziness and is suffering from pain due to a ruptured kidney, with only ibuprofen and Vaseline provided for treatment.