Charges Dropped Against Couple After Officer Was Shot During Raid

An officer in Jacksonville, Florida, was shot during a raid that occurred in 2020.

Now, charges have been dropped against a woman and a man that were involved in the matter.

After the raid took place on Sept. 28, 2020, Diamonds Ford and her fiancé Anthony Gantt, who are now both 31, were apprehended. They had been charged with the attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and armed possession of marijuana with the intent to sell.

In 2020, undercover officers had been watching the residence, close to Ken Knight Drive. This was due to drug activity. After seeing many people going in and out, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office SWAT members executed a search warrant at the residence. Ford said that no one ever identified that they were authorities. SWAT members stated that they announced multiple times.

The pair heard glass breaking and believed that somebody was breaking into their residence. Ford said that she ran to retrieve her firearm and shot at an officer.

“If you don’t execute these warrants safely, you’re gonna lose citizens like Diamonds Ford and Brianna Taylor. And, you’re gonna lose good police officers,” said Ford’s lawyer.

The SWAT team did locate marijuana inside the residence and charged the pair.

Three years after that, the charges were dismissed. The State’s Attorney Office said the charges against Ford and Gantt are being dismissed due to Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Joshua Earrey and ex-Nassau County Deputy James Hickox. They are being charged criminally.

Hickox is said to have taken money and drugs that were confiscated during investigations. On several instances, he is said to have stolen drugs from a property room, stating that they had been approved for destruction.

Hickox is facing nine federal criminal counts as Earrey has been charged with four related offenses.