JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A vigil was held at Riverview Park on Saturday evening as friends, family, and community members gathered to honor 32-year-old Rashaud Martin, a Jacksonville man who died after his mother called 911 for help during a mental health crisis.
Vanessa Martin says she never wanted her son arrested. She wanted police to help him.
On the night of Oct. 24, 2025, Vanessa called the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office after Rashaud, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, began experiencing what she described as a more severe mental health episode than usual at their home. Officers responded, and Rashaud was Baker Acted and transported to a mental health facility at around 6 p.m…