Photos Show Moments Before Officer Shot By OPD
Apparent Badge Seen Around Jenkins' Neck
POSTED: Wednesday, September 28, 2005
UPDATED: 3:47 pm EDT September 29,
2005
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.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
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