Man killed by Jacksonville police was suspect in murder at Youngerman Circle motel, other shootings

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office on Thursday released body-worn camera footage that shows what led to the moment police in November fatally shot a man in the Riverside neighborhood, who was suspected in a murder as well as two other shootings.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the shooting on Nov. 22 resulted in the death of Tyree O’Neal Jr., who was a two-time convicted felon that was violating the terms of his probation. On Thursday, when JSO released footage from that incident, it also shared video from two other incidents that they say involved O’Neal.

On Sept. 21, 2022, police said, someone was murdered in the parking lot of a motel on Youngerman Circle — and O’Neal was identified as the shooter and murder suspect in what Chris Brown, JSO’s chief of professional standards, described as a “brutal, execution-style murder.” Footage released by JSO, Brown said, shows O’Neal driving into the parking lot, exiting a vehicle and approaching the passenger seat.

The other person in the car was pulled out, and seconds later, Brown said, O’Neal can be seen shooting that person multiple times at close-range, and then rushes back to his car, fleeing the parking lot. The person who was shot died from their injuries.

The second shooting occurred Oct. 8 at another Youngerman Circle hotel, and three people were shot. According to Brown, JSO determined O’Neal was one of three people involved. There was no footage from the incident released.

The third shooting occurred at a gas station on the Westside on Oct. 26. Brown said shots were fired from a passing SUV at a car that was parked at the pumps. Men who exited the car can be seen in the video returning fire.

Brown said investigators determined that the bullets being fired from the SUV were coming from the same murder weapon that was used in the Sept. 21 murder.

According to Brown, officers assigned to JSO’s Special Operations Division were ordered to locate O’Neal and arrest him on an outstanding warrant for violation of probation. When he was located on Ernest Street in November, Brown said officers in tactical uniforms moved in to arrest him, and O’Neal immediately ran from police.

The JSO bodycam video has two clips of officers trying to apprehend O’Neal. The first clip shows a foot pursuit, and O’Neal jumping a fence. No shots were fired. Investigators said the suspect’s firearm was found in the yard.

The second clip shows an officer approaching a silver car, and the car starts moving toward him. Police then fire repeatedly into the car, and the vehicle comes to a stop.

Notably, Brown said the investigation into the shooting involving police is ongoing.

Records from the Department of Corrections show O’Neal had been released from prison after he was convicted in 2012 on charges of grand theft, assault and burglary.

News4JAX spoke with O’Neal’s mother on Thursday, who was too upset to comment about the release of the videos. She said her other son is currently in prison.