By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• Four Jacksonville, Florida, firefighters were arrested and booked on misdemeanor criminal mischief charges for involvement in a paintball incident that struck a patrol vehicle and other property.
• The incident occurred Dec. 29 and involved paintballs hitting a marked law enforcement patrol vehicle near a fire station.
• Investigators recovered paintballs and shells at the scene and identified personnel believed to have fired the paintballs.
• The firefighters were reassigned to administrative duties pending an internal department inquiry.
• Fire department officials said emergency operations and public safety services will continue without interruption.
JACKSONVILLE, FL — Four firefighters with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department were arrested Jan. 23 and charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief in connection with a paintball incident that struck a marked law enforcement patrol vehicle and other property on Dec. 29.
Officials said the investigation began after a patrol officer discovered green paint splatters on his vehicle while on duty near a fire station in the LaVilla area. Additional reports indicated other vehicles and nearby property also had paint damage consistent with paintball impacts.
Investigators located paint splatters on the roadway, street signs and adjacent surfaces, and recovered multiple paintballs and spent shells on the roof and driveway of the nearby fire station. Evidence indicated the paintballs were fired from an elevated position, and detectives identified four fire department personnel in connection with the incident.
Arrest warrants were obtained, and the four firefighters were booked into the Duval County Jail on misdemeanor criminal mischief charges. The department has reassigned the personnel to administrative duties pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
Fire department leadership stated it is cooperating with law enforcement and that the arrests will not affect emergency services or staffing levels at the station where the incident occurred.