Jonathan Price was walking away from Texas police officer Shaun Lucas when he was shot. The unarmed Black man was reportedly trying to defuse a domestic dispute at the time. Lucas has been charged with murder.
The Texas Rangers said they decided to charge Lucas, a Wolfe City police officer, with murder after 31-year-old Price was stunned by a Taser and then shot to death.
The cop had been responding to a disturbance call for a possible fight in progress. He made contact with Price, who was reportedly thought to have been involved in the disturbance. However, family members and witnesses said the argument was between a couple inside a convenience store and Price tried to break it up. The argument spilled outside and that was when officers arrived on the scene. Price was the one who was shot, WFAA reported.
When Lucas tried to detain Price, Price began to walk away. Lucas deployed his Taser and then discharged his gun, hitting Price, ABC News reported.
Price was an employee of the Wolfe City public works department, according to family members. He died after he was taken to the hospital.
In the preliminary investigation, the Texas Rangers found that actions of Lucas were “not objectionably reasonable,” leading to his being charged.
“Based on the information that was sent to me, Mr. Price was unarmed. He was not aggressive and he had his hands up. Multiple witnesses have said that and I’ve been told by people that have seen the video that the video confirms it,” said Lee Merritt, the civil rights attorney for Price’s family.
News of Lucas’ arrest gave some relief to Price’s mother.
“(That) uplifted me since I know that he’s locked up,” said Marcella Louis, Price’s mother. “I got some sleep after that.”
Lucas has been released on $1 million bond, according to WFAA-TV in Dallas.
Price’s family and friends have been posting on social media using the #JusticeforJonathan hashtag.
“Crazy part about this story… Jon was a VERY strong advocate of the Police—mentioned a few times ‘if Black People would comply and NOT push the race card, there would be no issues….’ Surprise Surprise… RIP!” GeorgeAdventure @georgeadventure tweeted.
“This guy trusted the hell out of the police; then got murdered by them,” @headspawn tweeted. “Who is going to investigate the officer? His blue friends.Who is going to prosecute him? Judges and a DA that he likely talks to several times a month since the start of their career. You trust that?”
Listen to GHOGH with Jamarlin Martin | Episode 73: Jamarlin Martin Jamarlin makes the case for why this is a multi-factor rebellion vs. just protests about George Floyd. He discusses the Democratic Party’s sneaky relationship with the police in cities and states under Dem control, and why Joe Biden is a cop and the Steve Jobs of mass incarceration.
Former major league baseball player Will Middlebrooks, a childhood friend of Price’s, has raised more than $100,000 so far to help the deceased’s family with a GoFundMe campaign, ABC News reported.
