US police officer shoots at unarmed suspect after mistaking acorn drop for gunshot

Police in Florida opened fire on a suspect handcuffed in a patrol car after mistaking the sound of a falling acorn for a gunshot. Marquis Jackson, a 22-year-old black man, was trapped in the back seat of the vehicle and was forced to “play dead to prevent getting shot in the head”. Officers had arrested Mr Jackson on the morning of Nov 12 on suspicion of stealing his girlfriend’s car. Although “verbally non-co-operative”, according to a Sheriff’s Report, he did not offer any physical resistance as he was handcuffed and walked to the police car. Bodycam footage shows one of the officers, Deputy Jesse Hernandez, standing outside his vehicle when an acorn strikes the roof of his vehicle. Apparently believing Mr Jackson had started shooting at him, he threw himself to the ground, shouting “shots fired” and “I’m hit” as he emptied his semi-automatic pistol into the car. He then crawled into cover behind a different vehicle, telling his colleague that he was unharmed but may have been struck in his protective vest. #police #crime #usa Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer: just £1 for 3 months. Start your free trial now: Get the latest headlines: and are websites of The Telegraph, the UK’s best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.