DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daytona Beach Police have launched an internal investigation to learn why an officer let a man go after he hit someone with a sledgehammer.
Records show that the attack happened just hours before Jermaine Long slashed a teen’s throat near the Slingshot Ride in Daytona Beach.
Long was in court for the sledgehammer case on Thursday.
Channel 9 asked law enforcement about the responding officer’s department history and for body camera video of his interaction with Long. The report said the victim in the sledgehammer attack wasn’t seriously injured but was in fear for his life.
The report also says there was probable cause to charge Long with aggravated battery.
Law enforcement provided Channel 9 with the following statement:
“On February 14 at approximately 7:58 a.m., officers with the Daytona Beach Police Department encountered Jermaine Long at a property where the owner asked that he be removed. Officers issued a trespass warning, where he was formally notified, he could not return to the property. At that time, there was not enough evidence to arrest him, so he was released.
Around 11:30 a.m. that same day, officers responded to a disturbance at the 7-Eleven at 35 South Atlantic Avenue. Mr. Long was accused of hitting someone in the head with a hammer, earlier in the day, after an argument. Officers investigated and spoke with both parties. However, because the alleged victim did not fully cooperate and there was not enough evidence to legally justify an immediate arrest, Mr. Long was not taken into custody. The store clerk requested that law enforcement trespass Mr. Long from the establishment due to prior retail theft. It should be noted that the victim of this incident did not have any major injuries.
Later, on February 14, officers responded to 18 South Ocean Avenue after receiving reports of a stabbing. This time, witnesses provided statements, the victim fully cooperated, and officers observed physical evidence at the scene. Based on that information, police had sufficient legal grounds to make an arrest. Mr. Long was located and arrested for Aggravated Battery.
After further review of the prior incident, involving the hammer, investigators worked with the State Attorney’s Office and determined there was enough overall evidence to file an additional Aggravated Battery charge, even without the victim’s cooperation. As a result of the added charge, Mr. Long is now being held without bond. Initially, bond had been set at $50,000 in connection with the stabbing case.
The department will not release body-worn camera footage at this time. Under Florida Statutes 119.01(3), 119.071(2)(c), and 119.011(3)(d), information related to active criminal investigations and pending prosecutions is exempt from public disclosure.
The department has also begun an internal review of the investigation. This type of review is standard practice with complex investigations. No additional details will be released until the review is complete.
The department will not be conducting media interviews regarding this case at this time."
13-year-old Sullivan Clarke, a tourist on vacation, became Long’s next victim hours after the sledgehammer attack.
“This man with a known violent history was released back into the community and then attacked my son Sully that same day. He cut his throat, and then Sully was within a millimeter of losing his life,” said his mom, Lori.
Lori said her son’s attack was preventable. Long is a registered sex offender and has a lengthy criminal history involving drugs and battery.
She said the family has been coming to the Daytona 500 and staying beachside for years, but now their view of the area has changed.
“We noticed this last trip that there was a large homeless population down by the beach, and it’s expensive to stay down there. We may be coming back to Daytona, but we won’t be staying on the beachside,” said Lori.
Long is being held in jail without bond.
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