The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has released bodycam footage following an officer-involved shooting of Cerry Banks, an 18-year-old man accused of attempting to meet with a 13-year-old girl and threatening her mother and siblings with a firearm. The incident, captured on video, occurred on last Monday, November 11 when the mother, having intercepted a series of inappropriate texts between Banks and her daughter, arranged a meeting with him by posing as the young teen.
Confronted at the agreed location on South McDuff Avenue, Banks allegedly lifted his shirt to reveal a gun in his waistband, telling the family, "If you hear gunshots, you better duck," according to the First Coast News report. The mother promptly called the police for assistance, and the JSO has now provided details and video of the subsequent events. Officer G. Robinson encountered Banks near a Popeyes restaurant where he was instructed to quickly raise his hands—a command Banks initially complied with before fleeing.
During the chase that followed, Banks reportedly turned toward Officer Robinson with a gun in hand, prompting the officer to fire approximately eight shots. As documented in the bodycam footage, Banks dropped the gun and escaped, later to be found hiding in a drainage pipe within a wooded area. After the arrest, Banks received medical attention and is facing multiple charges, including aggravated assault and unlawful use of a communication device, as detailed by Action News Jax.
The bodycam video further shows the tense moments leading to Banks's escape, with Officer Robinson issuing verbal commands laced with expletives. "Turn your [expletive] the [expletive] away from me," and "Get your [expletive] hands up before I shoot your [expletive]," were among the directives heard before the distressing sequence of events unfolded, leading Robinson to yell, "Pow, pow, pow! Gun, gun, gun!" as reported by News4Jax. The encounter ultimately led to Robinson discharging his weapon when faced with the threat posed by Banks.
