#Jacksonville sheriff says detectives ‘acted appropriately’ after video shows violent arrest

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The Jacksonville sheriff’s office says the officers involved in the violent arrest of a drug suspect won’t face disciplinary action after video of the incident sparked outrage.

“Based on the current available information, the agency believes the detectives acted appropriately with respect to the law and JSO policy,” Sheriff TK Waters said of the arrest during a Monday evening news conference.

Suspect Le’Keian Woods was out of jail on felony probation from a robbery charge and had been pulled over on suspicion of drug activity when the arrest happened, Waters said.

In bodycam video released by police, Woods can be seen fleeing police after being pulled over until an officer eventually tases him, causing him to fall on his face on a roadway.

According to a police report obtained by CNN, “Woods then began to violently resist.. attempts to take him into custody.” Woods continued not obeying commands, the report said, and was “concealing his right hand near his waistline.” Then, an officer “delivered three elbows to the right side of the suspect’s eye area,” according to the report.

Waters says the officers involved in the incident are currently on active duty.

A six-and-a-half minute witness-shot video of the encounter released by Woods attorney, Harry Daniels, on Saturday led to outrage over the arrest.

CNN reviewed the video, which shows multiple law enforcement officers in both regular police uniform and in plain clothing wearing police vests, holding Woods down, while at least one officer slams Woods to the ground.

After Woods is rolled over and sat up in the video, his face is visibly swollen and distorted with both eyes bruised and bulging. Woods’ mugshot shows his eyes swollen shut, with a cut on his chin and a busted bottom lip.

“Just look at Le’Keian’s face,” Daniels said in a video news release. “He looks like he just went 12 rounds with a professional boxer. He’s lucky to be alive.”

According to the arrest report, Woods was in possession of a semi-automatic handgun, cocaine and other substances when he was pulled over after undercover officers observed him allegedly selling drugs at a gas station. He is being charged with resisting officers with violence and a number of drug charges, the report says.

His attorney told CNN the gun in question belonged to another passenger in the car and was registered to that person. Daniels called the drug charges his client is facing “trumped up.”

Daniels said he will hold a news conference with Woods’ family in Jacksonville on Tuesday when he will respond to the latest information from the Jacksonville sheriff’s office.