Four Jacksonville firefighters demoted and reassigned after arrests tied to downtown paintball vandalism incident
Discipline follows misdemeanor arrests tied to on-duty incident near Fire Station 4
Four Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) employees have been reassigned and demoted following misdemeanor arrests connected to a late-December paintball incident in Downtown Jacksonville that investigators say damaged property and involved shots fired at or near civilians and a police vehicle.
The disciplinary action removes the four from the department’s Special Operations Team at Fire Station 4 for at least one year and includes a pay reduction. Separately, a fifth firefighter who was not arrested has been suspended without pay for 72 hours, also connected to the investigation.
What investigators say happened
The underlying incident occurred on Dec. 29, 2025, near JFRD Station 4 at 639 W. Duval St., in the LaVilla area. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) investigation described paintballs striking a marked patrol vehicle, traffic signs, and a civilian vehicle in the area. Investigators also documented paintball impacts on an abandoned building, the roadway, and a dumpster.
JSO characterized the episode as part of a firefighter “prank war.” The case was routed to the Jacksonville Integrity Unit for an internal-focused investigation after denials of involvement, and noncustodial interviews of city employees were conducted on Jan. 22, 2026.
Charges, identities and court posture
JSO arrested four firefighters on misdemeanor criminal mischief charges. The employees identified in public reporting are:
- Engineer Landon T. Simmons, 30
- Engineer Wesley P. Parker, 32
- Engineer Tristen C. Harrison, 25
- Firefighter Colby B. Lesage, 23
All four entered not-guilty pleas. A court date for the criminal case has been set for Feb. 23, 2026.
Administrative actions and operational impact
JFRD previously reassigned five personnel to administrative duties on Jan. 22, 2026, pending the outcome of the internal investigation; one of those five was not taken into custody. The latest personnel move escalates discipline for the four arrested employees with demotions and transfers away from Special Operations, a change that also reduces pay.
JFRD has stated that the arrests and administrative actions will not interfere with emergency service delivery in Jacksonville.
Key timeline: Dec. 29, 2025 incident near Station 4; Jan. 22, 2026 internal interviews and administrative reassignments; late January arrests; Feb. 17, 2026 demotions and Special Operations removals announced in reporting; Feb. 23, 2026 court date scheduled.
What remains unresolved
The criminal case is pending in court, and the department’s internal investigation has not been publicly closed. The final employment consequences—beyond the demotions, pay reductions, and time-bound removal from Special Operations—will depend on internal findings and the outcome of the criminal proceedings.