Nouman Raja, the gung-ho ex-Palm Beach Gardens Police officer who shot and killed church drummer Corey Jones, has been arrested after a Palm Beach County grand jury looking into the case made a decision to indict him, according to a source close to the case.
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They are the last recorded words investigators say the 31-year-old drummer spoke before former Palm Beach Gardens police Officer Nouman Raja ended his life with a barrage of bullets.
Gossip Extra reported exclusively hours after the shooting occurred in October that Raja was on a surveillance mission in plain clothes and in an unmarked vehicle when Jones was shot.
But Jones had a permit for the gun and it does not appear as if Raja ever identified himself as an officer.
“We were relieved to learn that Officer Nouman Raja, who senselessly killed Corey Jones, was arrested earlier today and will face criminal charges for his reckless act”. Benjamin Crump, the attorney for Jones’ family, said the recording shows Raja verbally bullied Jones, that he fired without justification and continued shooting as Jones ran away.
David S. Weinstein, a former state and federal prosecutor, said Aronberg probably charged Raja with manslaughter and attempted murder instead of murder to make it more likely to get a conviction.
Raja also left his police radio and department issued gun in the van. Get your f**king hands up!
Raja: “Get your (expletive) hands up!” A handgun was not found near Jones’ body, but instead about 72 feet from the rear of Jones’ vehicle, the affidavit says. Jones said: “Yeah.” The charging document said: “At no time during the recording did Raja say he was a police officer”.
The charging document said Jones’s homicide was caused by “Officer Raja’s culpably negligent actions”.
But he was also charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm, which can send him to prison for life, according to WSVN.
Raja used his personal cellphone to call 911 about 33 seconds after firing his last shot.
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.
Then, Raja fired three shots.
PBSO had been brought in by Palm Beach Gardens. Raja later told a supervisor that he saw Jones throw a weapon.
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Jones’ stepmother, Katie Jones, was among several family members to speak after Parks. Grand juries have been historically wary to indict cops after they kill people. Having been hired in April 2015, Raja was terminated from his job less than a month after the shooting on the grounds that he did not complete his probation period.
