JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office announced that four Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department employees were arrested on Jan. 23 in connection with a Dec. 29 paintball incident that struck multiple vehicles, including a marked patrol car.
The sheriff’s office said the incident occurred in the LaVilla neighborhood after an officer discovered green paint on his patrol vehicle and a civilian driver reported similar damage, prompting an investigation by responding officers, Action News JAX reported.
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Officers found green paint splatters on the roadway, a traffic sign and multiple nearby surfaces, suggesting the paintballs were fired from an elevated position.
Investigators also recovered 14 red and green paintballs and spent shells on the fire station’s roof and driveway, and officers reported seeing firefighters enter the station and quickly close the bay doors, evidence they say points to a possible “prank war” between fire stations.
Detectives identified four fire department personnel, obtained arrest warrants and booked them on misdemeanor criminal mischief charges at the Duval County Jail. The firefighters have been moved to administrative duties while the department conducts an internal investigation.
The fire department issued a statement:
“The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrested four Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department personnel this afternoon on misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief following an investigation into personnel misconduct while on duty.
The four individuals have been reassigned to administrative duties pending the outcome of an internal JFRD investigation.
JFRD was made aware of the allegations by the JSO on December 29, 2025, and has fully cooperated with its investigation into this incident.
This incident will have no impact on public safety or JFRD operations. The station where this occurred remains fully staffed with qualified personnel.
We value the trust the community places in our department as first responders, and we are committed to the highest standards of conduct and accountability. JFRD holds all personnel to these standards. This matter involves four individuals and does not reflect the professionalism and dedication of the 1,900 firefighters who serve Jacksonville with pride.”
What do you think — is an arrest too much or is it appropriate?
FireRescue1 readers respond:
- I think the sheriff’s department went overboard on this.
- If they were just shooting each other, I would say no, they should not be arrested. But when they started shooting the cars driving by, yes, I understand why they were arrested. They need to thank God that the police officer did not see someone on the roof pointing a gun at his police car. He could have shot them and it would have been a justified shooting! The Firefighters really need to thank what could have happened to them and the police officer.
- I think the arrests were WAY too much. The firefighters should have been confronted and they should have taken care of the cleanup and promised that it wouldn’t happen again. This speaks volumes about the police department there. Glad I don’t live in that area.
- With everything going on around this country, I think they could have spent their time doing something other than arresting these FF’s. The way firefighters are running calls these days, they need a relief from the workload they have. Bet the staffing is being covered with overtime, forcing FF’s to work even more hours.
- Stupidity above and beyond the call of duty. In addition to hitting a police car, they hit a civilian’s vehicle, which resulted in a formal complaint to the police. This means the police were required to investigate and take action accordingly. Should be suspensions all around, and a reduction in rank for the company officer. As a retired chief who grew up in a neighboring department that also used a cross-staffing system, I can state categorically that it’s a band-aid approach used in combination departments that are in the process of transitioning from a volunteer department to one that’s career. Ideally, all apparatus should be staffed per the minimum NFPA recommendations. The Report’s recommendations will resolve that problem and give the citizens the full amount of protection that should be receiving. Of course, they are permitted. This sounds like something that some politician with nothing else to do came up with. I would like to think that the Fire Chief would have stuck up for his personnel, and maybe he or she did, as I admittedly don’t know all the facts of this story. Perfect example of someone coming up with a solution in search of a problem.
- Arrest seems a bit harsh, but i guess the pd wins this round.
- Arrested?????? What a joke!!!! JSO NEEDS TO GET A GRIP!!!!
- I feel a more fitting punishment would be to clean it off and clean other cruisers in PD fleet. Filing charges denotes thin skin and reiterates an increasingly fragile social climate.
