Jenkins in green shirt, undercover
Posted on 10/02/2005 6:47:00 PM PDT by stainlessbanner
Photos Show Moments Before Officer Shot By OPD Apparent Badge Seen Around Jenkins' Neck
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Photos snapped by a University of Central Florida grad student captured campus officer Mario Jenkins with his gun drawn and an apparent police badge hanging around his neck moments before he was mistakenly shot and killed by an Orlando police officer.
Jenkins, an officer who had been working with state Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco agents to curb underage drinking, died after being shot Saturday outside the Citrus Bowl by a retired Orlando police officer working on reserve status.
Witnesses said Jenkins got into a scuffle with a student, fired his gun into the air and was then shot by Orlando officer Dennis Smith, who was nearby.
The new photos of the incident may yield more clues into what happened before the fatal shooting.
"The photos give a glimpse of the scene just moments before the shooting and they are difficult to look at when you consider they are of the last moments of Officer Jenkins' life," Local 6 reporter Nancy Alvarez said.
The first photo shows Jenkins holding an unidentified student by the back of the shirt with his gun drawn.
"Jenkins clearly has his gun drawn," Alvarez said. "He is holding the gun in his right hand and the barrel is pointing away from the man."
The second released photo shows Jenkins (in a green shirt) in the middle of what appears to be a scuffle. In the same photo, is the man who was also shot during the fight -- Mike Young.
Another view of the same photos shows a group of tailgaters watching the fight. One man appears to be pointing and laughing.
The photos are part of a group of 18 images sent to UCF's newspaper.
The UCF alumni did not want to be identified.
Investigators are not releasing any details of the shooting until the Florida Department of Law Enforcement completes an investigation.
Jenkins in green shirt, undercover
Exclusive photos snapped by a University of Central Florida alumni captured campus officer Mario Jenkins with his gun drawn and the fracas moments before he was mistakenly shot and killed by an Orlando police officer. Courtesy: Central Florida Future
!
Can you brighten the photo?
(on dial-up,no photoshop)
Sad incident, but seems like his finger should have been on a radio calling for back-up, not firing warning(?)shots up in the air in a large, open crowd.
These ATF undercover officers seem to be problematic. They're not identified well as officers. If they're around parties, tailgaiting, etc, it's inherently chaotic. I'm not surprised this happened. And for what, underage drinking?? Ridiculous and tragic.
I looked at the photos from the web site and I don't see a badge in any of them. I must be missing something. Regardless this is a terrible shame for all involved.
Underage drinking = 2nd degree misdemeanor ($315 fine).
Ooops, I see you did!
Where are the other 13?
Link only had 5 photos.
I don't see a badge either,but the resolution on my end is poor.
My friend's son goes to school there and was right in the midst of this. He told her they saw a badge and that the students were trying to stop the police from shooting.
Another important success story brought to you by our Marvelous War on Drugs.(sarcasm big time). Firing into students.
More on this in my local paper:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-funeral0205oct02,0,4842408.story?coll=orl-home-headlines
I have only seen 5-7 photos. Not sure where the other 13 are. Maybe under investigation....
Looked at all the photos. Didn't see the claimed "apparent badge." And though this situation is absolutely tragic, I'm not surprised it happened. ATF agents have a long reputation of making bad situations far worse than they should be. This looks like another in a long line of ATF "arrests" gone horribly wrong.
I don't get the "interstate commerce" connection that would give the federales jurisdiction. I thought underage drinking was a local issue.
I was under the impression that the photos from the web site would show the badge (based on the article) I don't doubt anyones claims regarding this. But then again I don't understand why a cop would pull a gun in a crowd of college kids drinking, especially when you consider what the charges would/could be. What a waste of life for a misdemeanor crime. And I sure the kids that were involved in this incident feel as bad as the officer that shot (at least I hope the do).
Thats pretty much your trump card right there.
If anyone can elaborate on the circumstances which required this guy to put a GUN TO THE SUSPECTED UNDERAGE DRINKER'S head I would be appreciative.
Seeing from this angle, the kid in the black shirt is certainly in fear for his life and the reasonable man test would tend to support removing the green-shirt attacker with NO VISIBLE MARKING from this angle from the threat position.
Done.
" No way the LEO could have possibly known the ATF guy was not the bad guy."
No doubt he will be given different treatment at the prosecutorial level than you or I would.
Plainsclothes cops who draw guns without being CLEARLY identified as LEO's from ALL ANGLES are just asking for this, as there is possibly a good argument that under florida's new law a citizen who took this guy out would have been complying with the law, to the best of their knowledge.
Any plainsclothes cops on FR care to comment on this?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.