Corey Jones of West Palm Beach, Fla., is the latest name added to the list of Black men unjustly shot police.
“I need some answers,” Clinton Jones Sr., Corey’s father, said to reporters. “I need to know why. Why is my son gone today? Why?”
Along with being a beloved son, Jones is being remembered as a talented musician who played the drums at his church and for a local band.
Reports indicate Jones, 31, was driving home when his car stalled on an interstate. An officer spotted the vehicle and thought the car was abandoned, leading him to investigate. The officer, Nouman Raja, was in plainclothes and driving an unmarked car.
Law enforcement officials said Raja was approached by Jones, who was allegedly armed, and Raja fired, hitting him three times. A handgun was recovered at the scene, according to investigators.
Raja was not wearing a body camera, and no dashboard camera footage is available.
Jones reportedly called his friend, Matthew Huntsberger, when his car broke down. Jones and Huntsberger were unable to restart the car, so they called for a tow truck. Huntsberger left Jones before the officer arrived.
“The tow truck was on the way,” said Huntsberger. “We didn’t think anything was going to happen. It was a complete shock. We just want to let everyone know that he didn’t deserve this. And that he was a good person—a peaceful person.”
Several burglaries had reportedly taken place in the area where Jones’ car broke down. Police sources said that the incident might have been a case of mistaken identity. Raja reportedly didn’t identify himself as a police officer.
Jones was legally carrying the weapon he had, and family members said he was a “responsible” gun owner.
“Corey Jones was a God-fearing man who dedicated his life to doing the right thing,” the family said in a statement. “He lived every moment to the fullest and was an inspiration to many—the kind of son, brother and friend people could only hope for. Rest assured, we are working diligently with our legal team to determine exactly why this plainclothes police officer in an unmarked car would approach Corey.”
The family has hired attorney Benjamin Crump, who served as the attorney in the Trayvon Martin case in Sanford, Fla., in 2012.
Crump said during a televised interview that in the area where Jones was killed are surveillance cameras from nearby businesses that could shed some light on what happened.
“What we don’t want to do is rely solely on the person who killed Corey Jones,” said Crump. “He doesn’t know if he’s about to be mugged, he’s about to be robbed, he’s about to be killed.”
Raja is on paid administrative leave.
A rally took place last Thursday in West Palm Beach to bring attention to the shooting and the Rev. Al Sharpton announced that he will be involved in the case.
“The preliminary facts given by the police to the family are disturbing and troubling to National Action Network, and we intend to give our full support to further inquiries and the pursuit of justice in this matter,” the civil rights leader said.