Ex-officer charged in fatal shooting of Florida musician Corey Jones

Fired Palm Beach Gardens Police Officer Nouman Raja was arrested and charged with manslaughter and attempted murder in the fatal shooting of Corey Jones on Wednesday. 

The Palm Beach Post reports State Attorney Dave Aronberg says the grand jury found the Oct. 18 shooting “unjustified.” Raja was investigating burglaries in plainclothes with an unmarked police van when he encountered Jones on Interstate 95 in the early morning. Jones was sitting inside his broken-down car by the roadside trying to call for assistance when he was approached by Raja.

At the time, Jones was speaking with an operator about his car problems. The Post says that’s when Jones opened his door, saying: 

Corey Jones: “Huh?”

Nouman Raja: “You good?”

Jones: “I’m good.”

Raja: “Really?”

Jones: “Yeah, I’m good.”

Raja: “Really?”

Jones: “Yeah.”

Raja: “Get your (expletive) hands up! Get your (expletive) hands up!”

Jones: “Hold on!”

Raja: “Get your (expletive) hand up! Drop!”

The State Attorney’s Office report says Raja fired three shots right after he says “drop” and seconds later, three more shots. The Sun Sentinel reports that during a 911 call Raja made, the officer can be heard saying, “Drop that fucking gun right now!” Jones was licensed to carry a gun, and his family maintains that Jones did not know Raja was a police officer. 

“There is sufficient evidence and probable cause to conclude Nouman Raja continued to discharge his firearm at Corey Jones after Raja realized Jones no longer possessed a firearm,” the report says, according to the Sentinel. “The intent of discharging his firearm was to kill Corey Jones.”

This article appears in Jun 1-7, 2016.