The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is investigating what appears to be the accidental shooting of an 11-year-old boy in Daytona North by Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy Bryan Jackson or another deputy–his daughter–both of whom had been target-shooting on Jackson’s property nearby. The boy suffered a burn, but was not seriously hurt.
The incident took place in the early evening of Aug. 27. Jackson and his daughter, Kailen, who was sworn-in as a deputy just weeks ago and was just issued an agency rifle, were target-shooting together. Bryan Jackson told a deputy that he had fired the shot that ended up in the neighbor’s house. The bullet was from the rifle.
Both Jacksons are still fulfilling their regular duties pending further investigation by the agency’s Investigative Services Division, the Sheriff’s Chief Mark Strobridge said. Jackson works in the Community Engagement division. Kailen Jackson is a road deputy.
According to a report by Sheriff’s deputy Paige Blake, 11-year-old J.B. was lying on his bed with his head propped up by pillows, playing video games, when he heard a loud crack come from outside of the room and “felt something burn his neck.” He swatted it with his wrist. He told Blake “it sounded like the projectile hit metal and stopped after burning him.” He didn’t see anyone standing outside nor hear anything before or after the crack.
His mother Mary Buckner was in the dining room when her 11-year-old son came out of his room to tell her he’d been hit by something. His 7-year-old sister was with his mother “when she heard what sounded like a gunshot,” the report states. She then “saw her brother run out of his room saying that he got shot.” The girl claims she saw “a man standing [at a nearby property] with a long gun propped up on a stand.” She couldn’t say who the man was, but that the gun was either black or green.
The Buckners live at 1288 Hazelnut Street. Jackson lives on Mahogany Boulevard, at the south end of the same triangular block rimmed by Hazelnut to the east, Elder Street to the west, and Canal Avenue to the north. The Buckners’ property is about halfway up the block. Private shooting ranges are neither uncommon nor illegal in unincorporated Flagler County.
Mary went to her son’s room to investigate and “noticed a hole in the top right-hand corner of the room and that a pair of jeans that were sitting on the dresser were knocked off by the projectile,” according to a Flagler County Sheriff’s report. She “screamed out” to her husband that her son had been shot and to come help.
Johnney Buckner, her husband, told his wife to call 911 and tried to find the origin of the gunshot. He “asked people in the area he knows are avid shooters if they had been shooting,” the report states, contacting Jackon, who lives about four houses down.
Jackson, the report continues, got to the Buckners’ house shortly Blake had gotten there, “and was extremely apologetic, and stated he was shooting at his small berm on his property with his daughter who just got a new rifle,” according to the report. Jackson “stated he was doing target practice, and the bullet must have ricocheted off the target and landed in the home. Bryan stated he was shooting .556 rounds.”
Jackson just marked his 12th anniversary with the agency. The report does not explain why he was firing with his daughter’s rifle, what weapon she had been using, why she was not at the scene or was not interviewed.
Other nearby residents told Blake “they did not see anyone or anything strange in the area, but heard rapid gunshots coming from what sounded like the back right hand of their property.”
The bullet was not recovered. The sheriff’s Investigative Services Division reported to the scene that evening and took over the investigation, which is ongoing.
“There’s more to this,” Strobridge said, but the investigation was ongoing. He said once completed, the investigation will be turned over to the State Attorney’s Office and an internal inquiry will follow.
Jackson’s property, and Jackson himself, were in the public eye in a previous incident that involved Jackson’s son, Jayden. It was to the Mahogany Boulevard house that Jayden drove and kept his father’s car after Jayden had been involved in a hit-and-run crash that killed Shaunta D. Cain, 51, on U.S. 1, near Plantation Bay, in November 2022. The prosecution argued Jayden had been impaired at the time of the crash and covered it up subsequently.
Bryan Jackson eventually informed a supervisor that his son may have been involved in the crash under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol but initially denied FHP’s request to seize and search the vehicle.
Jackson said in testimony under oath at his son’s sentencing that he wasn’t home at the time of the crash. Questioned by a clearly exasperated Jason Lewis, the assistant state attorney, Jackson said he’d received a text from his son informing him of the crash, but couldn’t remember if it was light or dark. He said he was in Miami. “One of the FBI agents was murdered and we went and did his funeral,” Jackson said, and that he called his supervisor after the funeral, and returned to Flagler County. (There was no funeral involving an FBI agent in Miami–or anywhere in Florida–in 2022, the year of the hit-and-run. The last such funeral in the state took place in February 2021, for Special Agents Daniel Alfin and Laura Ann Schwartzenberger. The only funeral for a law enforcement officer in Florida that November was in Charlotte County, for Deputy Sheriff Christopher Taylor, but it took place on Nov. 30, three days after the hit-and-run crash.)
Jayden Jackson pleaded to leaving the scene of an accident with a death and in June was sentenced to five years in prison.
TR says
There are questions I will withhold asking until the investigation is over. Hopefully FL will do a follow up and keep us posted. But one thing I’m having trouble with is how many 7 year olds know what a gun shot sounds like? Even some adults have a problem sometimes trying to tell the difference from a gun shot and some form of fireworks. Glad this was more serious.
Taxpayer says
When dod it become legal to target practice in your yard around other houses??? Or do fcso deputies get special treatment?? He should be fired and punished to the full penalty of the law!!! Anyone else would be
JimboXYZ says
FCSO deputies should know better that their own recreational gun play should still be done at a range. Surprises me that these 2 officers aren’t suspended at the very least, if they haven’t already been fired. Unacceptable for anyone else to shoot a firearm like that, why would FCSO treat this like an accident, when they knew the risks for target shooting in an unauthorized area. Nobody wants to hear that it’s not against the law in a rural community with enough land to seem to have your own gun range & hunting preserve. I wouldn’t seek to ban guns over this, just the one’s that are that irresponsible to be discharging a firearm.
Doug says
I’m all for guns, and shooting them responsibly. I’m also retired from Law Enforcement after 34 years and very familiar with the .556 round. Deputy Jackson and his daughter should know the ballistics of a .556 round, especially with other houses nearby. Unbelievably irresponsible on their part and an embarrassment to the FCSO.
FlaglerLive says
@ Taxpayer It’s legal depending on zoning. It’s legal in Daytona North, and the deputy had proper precautions built in for an experienced shooter.
Jim says
If I got this right…. This guy testified at his son’s sentencing that he was in Miami for an FBI agent’s funeral when, in fact, that did not happen?
Two reasons for my curiosity. One, if he lied under oath at his son’s trial, why hasn’t he been brought up on charges for that? And, two, if he did lie in that trial, I’d have a lot of trouble putting much faith in anything he has to say about this incident. (And, three, now that I think of it… If he did lie in his son’s trial, how is still on the police force? If nothing else, any time this guy has to testify in court, the opposition attorney should have a field day tearing into him about credibility.)
I don’t know what really happened here but I will say that when you pull the trigger on a gun, you are responsible for where that bullet ends up. Thank God that this child wasn’t seriously injured. However, I wonder how comfortable he, his parents and his sister will be in their house from now on after such an incident. Strobridge says they are investigating. It’ll be interesting to see what the final story ends up.
Taxpayer says
Jackson was just sworn in a few weeks ago? What kind of weapons training has he had? This sounds like carelessness with Jackson as well as Staley’s FCSO and can’t wait to hear the investigation results.
No name mondex says
When I first moved to Daytona North I was told by several people that it is legal to shoot on your property if you had a back stop, but that you could not shoot a rifle only a handgun. so I questioned the sheriffs department about this. I was told that I could not shoot a rifle . that I could only shoot a handgun unless I had a really thick and tall backstop because a rifle round can go further than the one + acre. And it had to be placed so the chance of the round not going into someone’s home. If you happen to have a larger lot you still have to consider your neighbors when building the backstop. I talked to other people who said you have to have a backstop that is fully capable of stopping the rounds that you’re firing otherwise you could be sued or arrested if someone gets hurt.
FlaglerLive says
@Taxcpayer, Kailen Jackson was sworn in a few weeks ago. Bryan Jackson just marked his 12th year with the agency.
Lance Carroll says
In my experience, a .556 firearm should be discharged at a rifle range. Rifle range dimensions, layout, are far different than a common gun range, where handguns are discharged and certification/recertification occurs for law enforcement….
The rifle range set up takes into account the bore and velocity of a rifle ammunition. That being noted, a rifle range is far deeper in distance and, I believe, requires a higher elevation of burn around rifle range, as compared to a pistol range.
If I have missed the facts or incorrectly described the difference, please, feel free to correct me?
Gator says
Unfortunately our neighbors down the street we’re very reckless and careless and shot our house up and my wife’s horse trailer and our neighbor car windshield 3 years ago and the sheriff’s put our neighbors at fault and when my wife sent our neighbor a message to get their insurance information for we can get our are damages paid for… Got a text back don’t contact me or my husband again thank you we were ghosted..so we pursued charges unfortunately assisted State attorney Susan Bexley failed to show the judge evidence to where it was dismissed which is prosecutional misconduct and if the sheriff’s department would have charged our neighbors correctly with a felony we probably would have got restitution… Corruption is real in this county and I can prove it with documentation we have a two-tier justice system in this County our neighbor that shot our house happens to be a realtor that sells property in the gated community that our sheriff lives in and I would bet she was his realtor when he bought his house is that not a coincidence.all we asked for from the state attorney is for our neighbors to go to a gun safety class and our damage paid for we shouldn’t be responsible for people’s careless and reckless shooting.. people should be held accountable for Their reckless and careless actions there needs to be laws to keep your rounds on your property… Karma struck my reckless and careless neighbor yesterday early morning someone stole a gun out of his unluck truck as a gun owner that’s very ill responsible and it should be a crime… And if my neighbor would have had to take a gun safety course he probably would have learned how to lock his truck up…. He claims to be ex-military kind of hard to believe with his reckless and careless actions…
JS says
It’s crazy to me that it is legal to target practice on a 1 acre lot in a residential area such as Daytona North. I’ve long believed that it is simply not enough room. This incident proves to me that it is not safe. If this can happen to trained law enforcement officers, it’s just a matter of time before it happens again. I’m not against guns, but am for protecting my family from the drunk guy down the street that likes to target practice in the middle of the night. The law needs to be changed.
Concerned Citizen says
Nothing will amount from this.
The good ol boy network thrives in Flagler County. Staly has a big broom and a large rug. This will be swept under just like a lot of other things have. Deputy Jackson has the wrong skin color to do wrong here.
Theresa Berger says
To Jim,
Why would Deputy Jackson need to lie about his whereabouts on the night of his son’s hit and run accident? And to make up a story that it was a FBI agent’s funeral would seem like an outlandish tale if it weren’t true. Perhaps the decedent was a former FBI agent from several years ago and what the deputy said on the stand was misconstrued.
Shark says
Staley and his crew remind me of Mayberry and Barney Fife !!!!
jwittrock says
It’s a “5.56mm” or a “.219” inch bullet. A .556 would be a 13.2mm gun, probably capable of piercing tank armor. But I digress. Firing an AR-15 (5.56) in a residential neighborhood is beyond stupid.
TR says
Correction to my first comment. I meant to say I’m glad it wasn’t more serious.
Maybe FL could add an edit feature. Just a thought.
Skibum says
First of all, I’m glad the young boy was not seriously injured by that rifle bullet. Secondly, while it technically might not be illegal for people to be shooting guns on their property in unincorporated Flagler County where this incident occurred, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a safe thing to do when you live where there are other houses close by. This is especially true when shooting a rifle, which can shoot bullets long distances.
The Jacksons may have thought they set up adequate safeguards with the backstop for target practice on their property, but as this incident shows, good ole “Murphy’s Law” proves once again that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
It wasn’t that long ago when you could legally shoot firearms at targets on your own property right here in Palm Coast with houses all around you… as long as you did not shoot across a street or directly toward another house. There were a number of incidents and close calls… go figure! Fortunately, a local ordinance was adopted that made it illegal to do that any longer anywhere within city limits.
The main takeaway from this should be that just because something is legal to do, it might absolutely be unwise, or even dangerous. There are much better options for law enforcement officers to utilize when practicing with their agency issued patrol rifles, and it might even be a good idea for the sheriff to revise the agency’s weapons policy now that this accident has occurred to restrict the practice firing of agency patrol rifles at an authorized range, NOT at someone’s home property where other houses are nearby! It is my hope that becomes a finding at the conclusion of this investigation. Anything less puts people’s lives in potential danger.
Pete Masters says
From my understanding, in Florida, local areas can not make their own gun rules and must adhere to Florida law. Prior to Rick Scott signing a more strict law, The penalty for what this cop did (or possibly lied about to protect his daughter) was that it would be a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $1,000 and maximum jail time of a year.
“Any person who recreationally discharges a firearm outdoors, including target shooting, in an area that the person knows or reasonably should know is primarily residential in nature and that has a residential density of one or more dwelling units per acre, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree”.
I’m pretty sure Daytona North, at least most of it, would be considered residential. This cop certainly appears to be pretty shady and considers himself above the law, just like every cop I have ever dealt with in this county. Anybody remember the cop that totaled 2-3 police cruisers inside of 2 years and also got caught drinking with underage kids? Maybe he has been finally fired and forced to go to some other county to continue his irresponsibility, I don’t know, but I do know they at least let him stay on for a while.
It is time that the residents of this county unite and start taking action against Rick Staly and his thugs that think they shouldn’t be held responsible for their actions.
DaleL says
First, the weapon involved did not fire a “.556 round”. It fired the standard Nato 5.56 mm round. It is a common caliber.
Second, from this story, it appears that Deputy Jackson committed perjury during his testimony while under oath at his son’s sentencing. “He said he was in Miami. “One of the FBI agents was murdered and we went and did his funeral,…”” The fact is that there was no funeral involving an FBI agent in Miami–or anywhere in Florida–in 2022, the year of the hit-and-run. Conviction of perjury, that interferes with official (court) proceedings or investigations, is a felony.
People who are shooting a firearm, whether hunting or target shooting, have an obligation not to endanger others. Florida statute 790.15 (1) states that a person who “…negligently discharges a firearm outdoors on any property used primarily as the site of a dwelling as defined in s. 776.013 or zoned exclusively for residential use commits a misdemeanor of the first degree,…” Deputy Jackson’s bullet left his property, damaged another person’s property, and endangered a child. That certainly seems to be negligence.
I hope that Sheriff Staly and the local prosecutor will thoroughly evaluate what appear to be very troubling behavior by Officer Jackson. This is a matter of public trust in local law enforcement.
Flagler Expatriate says
FCSO preaches about accountability, but doesn’t practice it on their own. I had a horrible incident because of them. They didn’t deal with my psycho next-door neighbor who routinely trespassed on others’ property and violently harassed them and their contractors. So when I had to handle it because they wouldn’t I was arrested.
So glad I moved out of that dumbass place. Ridiculously high property taxes which pay for dumbasses like this. The Justice Department really needs to take a long hard look at FCSO. Staly’s goon squad needs to be dismantled.
shark says
And they allow these creatures to become FCSO deputies.
hjc says
Had this been anyone else they would have been arrested taken to jail. Then bail out of jail. All of there firearms confiscated. Went to court costing them thousands. But the laws for us are not the same.
JimboXYZ says
“@ Taxpayer It’s legal depending on zoning. It’s legal in Daytona North, and the deputy had proper precautions built in for an experienced shooter.”
This much is in place & will never change. any shooter is held accountable & responsible for where the bullet ends up. This is an 11 year old child that will be affected for the rest of their life for being struck by a bullet fired from a gun by an FCSO officer that was not discharging a firearm in the line of duty. Does it matter how experienced the officer is, what the facility had built-in for safety precautionary measures that failed, accidentally or otherwise ? What if it were his daughter that got grazed or worse yet was a fatality ? Considering the recent history of this officer & family, perhaps they need to take up new hobbies that don’t involve alcohol, operating motor vehicles or guns ? How unlucky would these folks have to be to be this problematic. Just me, I don’t want to be around any of them, they seem to lack good judgement. Fortunately, they are out of their firearms range as a neighbor for me, but that doesn’t stop them from boozing it up & driving a motor vehicle into anyone’s residential. The entire process for the son’s DUI fatality was a c*ck block for an investigation. That lack of character is one aspect of character that one expects law enforcement officers to have without any doubt. The measuring stick is whether or not someone complies vs lies. Anytime a random citizen doesn’t comply with an investigation, that is grounds for an arrest. For this shooting, he can be arrested & bond out pending investigation(s) ? That’s the way the system works pretty much, shouldn’t be influenced by who you know, your job description/who you work for. He’ll have his day in a courtroom like any one else ? I can guarantee, anyone else doesn’t get the leniency or benefit of the doubt beyond a rare exception. This is why nobody trusts anyone anymore. The nepotism, cronyism applies in law enforcement & that needs to be corrected to apply to everyone equally. Anyone else and the what if worst case scenario that didn’t happen vs what actually did happen as actual results would be applicable.
Joe says
It surprised me that the bullet traveled thru 5 acres of woods and struck a home, and the bullet never hit a tree or clump of bushes, WOW, probably one in a billion shot, go figure !!!
Taxpayer says
The sheriff that everyone around here is crazy about, and feels like he’s the best, hasn’t took action or said anything about this.. why ? Because it’s one of his… Anyone else would have been called a scumbag and other names… They both should be fired and a lawsuit suit should be immediately filed… no excuses…. No one should be above the law…
Taxpayer says
Wow, I’ve noticed a lot of the comments aren’t being posted, especially when you mention stalys name… Flagler County is definitely a good old boy county… Staly got all his deputies thinking they are above the law, and shouldn’t be held accountable for their actions… Jackson was removed from the fire department and that hasn’t been mentioned… wonder why? He was a jailer and got to be friends with a certain LT that is no longer there, and he put him on the road….. Like I said staly has not said a word.. anyone else would be scumbags and everything else…. He should be fired immediately and charges should filed, he knew better…. It’s not justice for all here in Flagler County, just for the ones that know people or you work for staly….
Only BB guns for them now says
That small acreage north Mondex Daytona whatever. Nothing heavier than .22LR with RR tie backstop or equivalent.
FlaglerLive says
@ Taxpayer, It isn’t inaccurate to claim the sheriff has taken no action: he has green-lighted wat remains an ongoing and no-holds barred investigation, from what we have learned. As noted even by Strobridge in the article, there is more to this.
Underserved Western County says
In response to Gator. The gun you refer to that was stolen out of a neighbors viechle last Thursday night was actually part of a major crime spree in Westren Flagler County when multiple cars were broken into and multiple firearms were stolen !!
Our sheriff ,who never met a microphone he didn’t like will sweep this under tge rug also. Because the western country is completely understaffed,under served, and under equipped.
Any where else in the county these gun stealing thief would have been picked up by the “real time” cameras & license plate readers. …… all non existing west of Rt 1, where many times only 1 deputy is in the zone.
I personally have called 911 and on some occasions get no response from SO at all. They don’t even show up
Stolen guns says
Multiple car break ins last Thursday night on Multiple streets in different neighborhoods. In western Flagler county
Enough fire arms were stolen in one noght to arm a small band of thugs !
What is Staley doing about this ?
Western county………..
Out of sight, out of mind
Lance Carroll says
Not all law enforcement is bad and not cut out for the job they hold. There are genuine law enforcement officers that are, truly, a gift to society. That being said….I have not noticed any post to this thread by the Sheriff of Flagler County. The community is all ears, Rick Staly…please update the community? Easy to boast about the “Green Roof Inn.” It seems it is time to report, to the public, directly, on this ‘black eye!’ Mr. Sheriff: in consideration of your many, numerous, self justifying public announcements….you should consider addressing this matter to the public at large….
Lance Carroll says
Looking like this is a BIG BLACK EYE for “green roof inn.”
Retired says
I live in the mondex. Every sunday for hours we listen to the guy down the street fire his gun that lookslike a sniper rifle. It has legs and sits on a table. I dont care if you have a backstop or not, you dont know where that bullet is going once you fire it. If you need to pratice every week you need to go to the range. This area is growing quickly and do you know where every house is down range? And one more you just let every single theif in here know you have guns to steal.
Jack dickens says
A big big problem in the area with open reckless shooting, with 1 acre lot police say you’re allowed to shoot, which is completely unsafe and needs to change!!! I had bullets zing over my head and damage my property. Already dealing with ptsd it’s not cool. What’s it going to take ? A death? Nope nothing will done. This policy needs to change!!!
bill says
he lied At a trial, nothing happens now he fires a rifle that can go quite a distance as probably 3000 ft./s the bullet shooting a rifle AR 556 in the residential area is insane. Doesn’t sound to me like he’s has much common sense and his passing it down to his other family member that he’s training or shooting with not too bright from my perspective a little bit of a backwards law enforcement environment down here ,he won’t be charged ,not too impressed with law-enforcement here he should have viewed the Flagler county gun and rifle club. It’s much safer.
Immigrants made us great says
Oh cops shoot somebody, happens every single day. They militarized them. That’s what military does kill people.
Only rich people’s lives are cared about at all. As tariffs cause prices to continue to rise the republicans criminalize poverty and capture humans by groups of armed men in masks.
lol Christians literally willed the Antichrist and helped him get elected.
Steve says
PTACO
JF says
The whole damn. Department is corrupt starting with Rick himself. This deputy was let go from the Flagler Beach Fire Department. Because he couldn’t follow directions orders. Then he went on this crazy rant how he hates lesbians All of them because his them wife left him for one. I swear that Rick had media outlets in his back pocket and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Flagler Live wasn’t in his back pocket either. This department needs an independent investigation by FDLE and the accreditation division. There is no way that they are reporting all of these issues to accreditation. Jesus lord would someone please get this Sheriff out of here already. He is a snake in the grass and a venomous one at that! I’m just one person but I have seen corruption first hand at FCSO and basically told to go F myself!! I wasn’t aware until recently when I called in to report my neighbors involved in possible kiddie porn. I was told that there is nothing the FCSO can do unless I give them all of my information. What a joke our Sheriffs office is. Tried to get a sit down appointment with the sheriff with a bunch of cops information I have about multiple deities and was denied and told to speak with a commander. Well one of the commanders is the issue. I am a Law Abiding citizen who deserves answers now to just be thrown in under a mat and forgot about. What a shame we have such a crappy Sheriffs department!