A fired Florida police officer was arrested and charged Wednesday with manslaughter and attempted murder in the fatal shooting of a legally armed black musician after prosecutors say an audio recording and physical evidence show the musician had thrown his weapon to the ground and was running away when the lethal round was sacked. Rosetta Lewis, great aunt of Corey Jones, thanks God and smiles before a news conference at the Bible Church of God in Boynton Beach, Fla., Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
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“Mr. Raja has been arrested and taken into custody”. He did not know at the time that Jones was on a recorded phone call with a tow truck operator.
Nine to 10 seconds after the sound of the door chimes are initially heard, the recording captures a verbal exchange between Jones and Raja.
Jones replies: “Hold on!”.
The document also details that Raja was not wearing anything to identify himself as a police officer, even though his supervisor had instructed him to wear a tactical vest with police markings on it when he worked the surveillance assignment he was on. Ten seconds of silence then pass before three more shots, each fired about a second apart, are heard. He had purchased the gun three days before the shooting, and the box it was purchased in was found inside the auto, police said. “There is no question that Jones ran away from Raja”, prosecutors said. As Officer Raja told investigators on the night of the incident, Officer Raja identified himself as a police officer before approaching the vehicle.
Suddenly, the officer shouts, using an expletive, for Jones to put his hands up.
While out on bail, he must surrender his firearms and have no contact with Jones’ family or Palm Beach Gardens officers.
Raja then fired three gunshots in rapid succession (within two seconds) immediately after he uttered the word “drop”.
“While we understand that nothing can bring back our son, brother and friend, this arrest sends a message that this conduct will not be tolerated from members of law enforcement”, Jones’ family said in a statement released by an attorney.
Raja fired six shots at Jones with his personal Glock.40 caliber pistol, the affidavit states, because his department-issued firearm was in its holster inside the van.
When Raja exited the vehicle, he was confronted by an armed subject, police said in a statement.
A gunman suspected of shooting and wounding two Northern California police was holed up in a house early Thursday in an armed standoff with law officers, authorities said. It was found 41 yards from his body with the safety on and no shots fired, according to investigators.
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Jones’ family had been cautiously optimistic for charges against Raja when Aronberg announced he would be referring the case to a grand jury last month, but said they received assurances from Aronberg and Chief Assistant State Attorneys Brian Fernandes and Adrienne Ellis that they would present a “strong case” to the panel.
