Texas police officer Shaun Lucas undergoing investigations for the fatal shooting death of 31-year-old Jonathan Price has been officially charged for murder, police authorities revealed.
The Wolfe City police officer had responded to a call about an altercation involving two men at a gas station at 8 pm on October 3. Lucas had approached the late Price with attempts to detain him. He resisted, albeit in a non-threatening fashion, and began to walk away. Lucas used his Taser on Price and subsequently proceeded to fire the fatal shot which killed Price, Fox News reported.
According to eye-witnesses, Price had stepped in to help a woman who was physically abused by her partner. Things quickly got out of hand, and the police had to be called in. However, just before the police arrived, bystanders said things had relatively calmed down, and there was no need for police intervention. Now, why Lucas used the extreme measure that resulted in the death of Price is what the authorities are trying to unravel.
The Wolfe City Police Department said that “preliminary investigation indicates that the actions of Officer Lucas were not objectionably reasonable.”
Lucas has been taken into custody by the Texas Rangers, and there’s no report on whether he has a lawyer to represent him.
Friends and family members have responded with shock to the murder of Jonathan Price. The deceased was described as an upstanding citizen of the community who worked with children to help them achieve their potential. There was no reason he should have been shot since he posed no threat to anyone, friends said.
Former Major League Baseball player, Will Middlebrooks, grew up with Jonathan Price. He said he is heartbroken at the sad turn of event and couldn’t imagine why someone who only mediated in a possible case of domestic violence against a woman will wind up dead.
April Louis, sister to the deceased, said everybody loved Jonathan, racial differences notwithstanding.
Price’s father is particularly vocal about obtaining justice for his dead son. He said he was looking forward to the penalty that will be set aside for Lucas for murdering his son.
The family attorney, Lee Merritt, said there is a video that proves that Lucas’s action was a criminal act that was well thought out. He said the Police Chief himself had seen this video and tends to agree with this stance.
The latest shooting of a black man by a white police officer is coming amidst the protests and demonstrations that have greeted the killing of black Americans in the hands of police officers. Recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Rashard Brooks readily come to mind. The Texas Rangers said it is taking charge of the investigations.
Source: foxnews.com
