Mario Roberto Jenkins
Incident
Corporal Mario Jenkins was shot and killed by an Orlando police officer who mistook him for an armed suspect at a University of Central Florida football game.
He was working a plainclothes assignment with other university police and Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco agents to combat underage drinking at the football game.
Corporal Jenkins had approached a group of students and identified himself as a police officer. As he began to question them, the students became belligerent, and a scuffle ensued. During the scuffle, Corporal Jenkins' service weapon was discharged. The shots attracted the attention of a nearby Orlando police officer, who immediately responded to the scene. The officer, unaware of Corporal Jenkins' identity, fired three shots and mortally wounded him.
On February 2nd, 2007, the subject who started the scuffle by grabbing Corporal Jenkins was sentenced to two concurrent six-month terms after pleading guilty to battering a police officer and obstructing justice.
Corporal Jenkins was a United States Marine Corps veteran who served with the University of Central Florida Police Department for three years and previously served with the Clermont Police Department for one year.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-7528162E- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Mario. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Corporal Jenkins gave the University of Central Florida Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Orlando community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Mario Roberto Jenkins served in the Marine Corps (1994â1995) before joining law enforcement.
Corporal Mario Roberto Jenkins is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In FL, 313 of 1,008 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.1% of this state's fallen. That is 0.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Mario Roberto Jenkins's cause is highlighted.
How Mario Roberto Jenkins Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Mario Roberto Jenkins is highlighted in Sep.