Jason Arrington and The Florida Police Officer Case

On a chilly evening in December 2024, a routine traffic stop in Jacksonville, Florida, turned into a life-changing moment for a man named Jason Arrington. What started as a simple pull-over for running a red light ended with Arrington being shot in the leg—not by a criminal, but by a police officer using his own gun. The officer, Mindy Cardwell, was trying to take the firearm from Arrington’s holster when it went off. This shocking event led to her being fired and sparked a big conversation about police training and gun safety. Let’s dive into the full story, step by step, and uncover all the details behind this incident right here on Phacts.

The Traffic Stop That Changed Everything

It was December 13, 2024, around 5:10 p.m., when Officer Shaun Lowry of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office spotted a vehicle running a red light near North Main Street and 27th Street. Behind the wheel was 39-year-old Jason Arrington, a local man who worked as a crane operator. Lowry turned on his lights and pulled Arrington over. Two other officers, Mindy Cardwell and Austin Weippert, showed up to assist.

Arrington was calm and cooperative from the start. As Lowry approached, Arrington did something responsible—he told the officer he was carrying a firearm. In Florida, it’s legal to carry a concealed gun without a permit as long as you’re allowed to own one, and Arrington was following the law. Lowry thanked him for being honest and asked him to step out of the truck so they could secure the weapon. Arrington agreed without hesitation, placing his hands on top of his SUV as instructed.

A Gun in the Holster

Arrington’s firearm was a Glock .45 semi-automatic pistol, tucked into an inside-the-waistband holster on his right side. Officer Cardwell stepped up to remove it while Weippert held onto Arrington to make sure everything stayed under control. At first, it seemed like a standard procedure. But then things went wrong.

Cardwell struggled to get the gun out. The holster was tight, and Arrington’s pants made it even harder to pull free. Arrington later said he told her, “Hey, just let me unloosen my belt because it’s tight.” He figured that would make it easier. But Cardwell kept tugging—once, twice, then harder. On one of those pulls, her fingers slipped inside the trigger guard, a part of the gun you’re never supposed to touch unless you mean to shoot. She pressed the trigger, and the gun fired.

The Shot Heard on Bodycam

The bullet ripped through Arrington’s right leg, entering his upper thigh and exiting near his inner thigh. Blood soaked through his pants almost instantly. Bodycam footage caught the chaos that followed. Officer Lowry shouted, “Holy s—!” while Weippert quickly asked Arrington if he was okay. Cardwell froze for a moment, stunned, before the others told her to put the gun down.

The officers jumped into action. Weippert helped Arrington limp to the side of the road and sit on the grass. Lowry called for an ambulance while Weippert grabbed a tourniquet—a tight band to stop the bleeding—and wrapped it around Arrington’s leg. Cardwell pitched in too, helping with first aid as blood pooled on the ground. Despite the pain, Arrington stayed calm, only letting out one curse when they tightened the tourniquet.

Arrington’s Trip to the Hospital

Paramedics arrived fast and rushed Arrington to a nearby hospital. Doctors said he was in stable condition, meaning his life wasn’t in danger, but the injury was serious. The bullet had torn through muscle and tissue, leaving him with lasting damage. For a guy whose job involved climbing onto cranes, forklifts, and trains, this was a big deal. Arrington later told investigators it made his work “real challenging” and that he couldn’t do some tasks anymore.

Why Did This Happen?

So how did a simple traffic stop turn into a shooting? The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office dug into it with an internal affairs investigation. They found that Cardwell had messed up—badly. She admitted she wasn’t paying attention to where her fingers were when she yanked the gun. She was using her non-dominant hand, which might have made it harder to control, and didn’t slow down to handle it carefully. In her own words, she said, “I wish we could have slowed it down and done a thousand things differently.”

The investigation called her actions “gross incompetence.” That’s a fancy way of saying she didn’t know what she was doing well enough to keep everyone safe. On January 21, 2025, the sheriff’s office released the bodycam videos and announced they were firing Cardwell. She’d been working off-duty that day, part of a program called the Group Violence Intervention initiative, meant to cut down on crime and build trust with the community. Instead, this happened.

Arrington’s Side of the Story

Jason Arrington didn’t stay quiet after the shooting. On December 27, 2024, he held a news conference with his lawyer, Kay Harper Williams. He said Cardwell tugged on the gun multiple times, even after he offered to loosen his belt. When it fired, he felt shocked—and noticed something else. While Lowry and Weippert apologized over and over, Cardwell didn’t say a word to him. “She just stared at me,” he said. “I was like, okay.”

Arrington’s leg injury didn’t just hurt physically—it hit him emotionally and financially too. He started physical therapy to regain strength, but the damage made it tough to climb equipment or operate cranes like he used to. He even began seeing a mental health professional to deal with the stress. “It messed with me as far as working and stuff,” he told reporters. “It’s hard for me to do my job now.”

A Lawsuit in the Works

Arrington and his lawyer decided to fight back. They announced plans to sue the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, saying his civil rights were violated. They argued that he was a law-abiding citizen who got shot for no good reason. Williams pointed out that Arrington wasn’t a criminal—just a guy who broke a traffic rule—and didn’t deserve this. They also demanded the bodycam footage be released to the public, believing it would back up Arrington’s story.

The lawsuit hadn’t been filed yet as of early 2025, but it was coming. Arrington’s team hoped it would not only get him money for his injuries and lost work but also push the sheriff’s office to change how they handle situations like this.

Changes at the Sheriff’s Office

The shooting shook things up at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. After it happened, they sent out a memo to all officers, reminding them how to deal with people carrying guns legally. The memo said officers shouldn’t take someone’s firearm unless they have a clear reason to think that person is a threat. It also pointed out that just having a gun doesn’t mean someone’s dangerous—especially in Florida, where concealed carry is common since a new law passed in 2023.

By January 2025, the sheriff’s office made it official: no more grabbing guns from holsters during traffic stops unless there’s a real danger. They hoped this would stop something like Arrington’s shooting from happening again.

What Did Cardwell Say?

In her internal affairs interview, Cardwell owned up to her mistake. She said the gun wouldn’t come out easily because of the holster and Arrington’s pants. “I think, not being aware of where my fingers were on the inside of the trigger, obviously an accident happened that I’m at fault for,” she admitted. She didn’t mean to hurt anyone, but her lack of care caused big consequences.

Investigators decided not to file criminal charges against her. They saw it as an accident, not a crime. Still, her job was gone, and her actions left a mark on Arrington’s life.

The Bigger Picture

This wasn’t just a one-off story—it got people talking. Gun owners in Florida started asking: if I’m following the law, can I still get hurt by police? Arrington’s lawyer put it this way: “Gun owners in this state should be able to carry their firearms without the fear of an officer pulling them over, them saying they’re armed, then being shot with their own weapon.” It’s a fair question, and one that’s still hanging in the air.

The incident also raised eyebrows about police training. How could an officer not know to keep her fingers off the trigger? Some folks online even wondered if Cardwell was ready for the job, though there’s no proof her hiring was based on anything but standard rules. Either way, it showed that even small mistakes can turn into big problems.

Where Are We Now?

As of April 8, 2025, there’s no big update on Arrington’s lawsuit. He’s likely still recovering, dealing with therapy, and figuring out how to keep working with his injury. Cardwell is out of a job, and the sheriff’s office is trying to move forward with new rules. The bodycam footage is out there for anyone to see, showing every second of that fateful traffic stop.

This story isn’t over yet. The lawsuit could bring more changes, and Arrington’s fight might inspire others to speak up. For now, it’s a reminder of how fast things can go wrong—and how important it is to get the facts straight.

Stay in the Know with Phacts

What do you think about this wild turn of events? Should officers be trained better, or was this just a rare slip-up? Drop your thoughts in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you! And if you want more stories like this, packed with all the details you won’t find just anywhere, subscribe to phactsblog.com. Follow us on social media too, so you never miss an update. At Phacts, we’re all about digging deep and keeping it real—join us for the ride!

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