Tommy Jackson, a 39-year-old African American male, died on May 12, 2014, in Tallahassee, Florida. His death occurred during a violent confrontation with law enforcement following a robbery attempt. Jackson and his accomplice, Arthur James, attempted to rob an individual at gunpoint near Gamble Street. The incident escalated into a car chase through Florida State University's campus, ending in a crash near Macomb Street and Palm Court.
Both men fled on foot, with Jackson firing shots at pursuing officers. Jackson was ultimately shot and killed by police on Copeland Street after he continued to fire at them.
Arthur James, 42, was charged with second-degree murder in connection with Jackson's death under Florida's felony murder rule, which allows for a murder charge if a death occurs during the commission of certain felonies. James also faced charges of armed robbery with a firearm, burglary with assault, resisting an officer, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The grand jury found that the officers involved acted lawfully and with justifiable use of deadly force, as they believed they were in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm.
The incident marked the first police shooting in Tallahassee since 2006 and was part of a series of police-involved shootings in the city in 2014. The officers involved were placed on administrative leave pending the investigation's outcome, but the grand jury ultimately cleared them of any wrongdoing. The case highlighted the dangers faced by law enforcement and the legal complexities surrounding the use of deadly force in the line of duty.
