Jerry Roach

How they died

Deadly force

Lakeland police officers were dispatched after residents called about Jerry Roach, who they said yelled racial slurs at neighbors, fired his gun into the air once and pointed it at them from his front yard. Police surrounded his home and evacuated neighbors. They tried to get Roach, who was inside, to come outside, but he refused. Roach told officers on the phone that he was going to come outside and that police would have to kill him. He said he would bring his shotgun, police said. Roach stepped out of his home with his shotgun at about 10:50 p.m and walked toward officers, who ordered him to drop it. After he refused, six officers shot and killed Roach.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Jerry Roach, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources