By Sarah Roebuck
Police1
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A man was found guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of Daytona Beach Police Officer Jason Raynor, WESH reports.
On Saturday, a jury found Othal Wallace guilty of manslaughter in Raynor’s 2021 death. Wallace was also facing a first-degree and second-degree murder charge, but the jury did not convict on those charges.
“Today’s verdict comes with a deep sense of disappointment and frustration for me and the dedicated men and women of the Daytona Beach Police Department who are still grieving the loss of Officer Jason Raynor,” Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said in a statement following the verdict. “The loss of Officer Raynor was an immense tragedy, one that still weighs heavily on our department, we expected justice to be served in a manner that reflects the ultimate sacrifice he made in the line of duty.”
Raynor, who had joined the Daytona Beach Police Department in 2019, was patrolling the Kingston Avenue area early the night of June 23, 2021, when his body camera video shows he encountered Wallace, who was sitting in a Honda in the parking lot of the apartment where he lived with his girlfriend.
Raynor asked Wallace whether he lived there but Wallace replied with his own question, asking the officer what’s going on and why he was asking whether he lived there.
Wallace stood up while Raynor repeatedly told him to sit down.
Following some sort of altercation, Wallace appeared to push Raynor away as Raynor told him to stop. Then the video became shaky and ended.
Minutes later, officers arrived and found Raynor shot in the head.
Raynor died 55 days after he was shot