An off duty Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officer caught on surveillance video yanking a teenager off an electric bicycle and slamming him onto the concrete at Sunshine Skate Park is set to be in court tomorrow on a misdemeanor battery charge. The footage, along with witness accounts, has ignited heated debate among park regulars, attorneys and local officials. The teen’s attorney says the family has been dealing with online harassment and threats in the weeks since the video surfaced.
Hoodline first reported Officer Charged With Battery and identified the officer as Stephen D. Hicks. That report noted Hicks later turned himself in to the JSO Integrity Unit and was administratively reassigned while both criminal and internal investigations move forward.
Family seeks name redaction after online threats
Shannon Schott, the attorney for the teen’s family, has filed an 11 page motion asking the court to remove the juvenile’s name from Hicks’ arrest report, arguing that the family has received violent and harassing messages since the case drew media attention. As reported by News4JAX, Schott says the threats followed public comments by Hicks’ lawyer that she contends mischaracterized the electric bicycle the teen was riding and effectively encouraged vigilantism.
What the video and witnesses show
Surveillance video that has circulated online appears to show an adult grabbing a teenage rider by the arm, pulling him off an electric bicycle and slamming him onto the concrete as other riders and bystanders watch. According to Action News Jax, witnesses at the park said riders had been told to leave because posted rules prohibit bikes in the skating area, and tensions escalated before the confrontation captured on camera.
Officer’s record and oversight
Local records show Hicks has been the focus of multiple internal investigations during his time with the sheriff’s office. News4JAX reported he was the subject of eight internal investigations over four years, with seven of those cases sustained. JSO has placed him on administrative reassignment, and its Integrity Unit is leading the agency’s internal review while Jacksonville Beach police continue the separate criminal investigation…