An East Texas police officer has been terminated after being charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a Black man following a disturbance at a convenience store over the weekend, according to reporter Meredith Yeomans of NBC5.
Shaun Lucas, 22, was fired “for his egregious violation of the City’s and police department’s policies,” Yeomans reported, citing a statement by the city of Wolfe City.
Lucas was booked Monday into the Hunt County Jail in the death of Jonathan Price, 31, according to the Texas Rangers in a statement released by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Lucas was an officer in Wolfe City, about an hour from Dallas. His bail was set at $1 million.
“The preliminary investigation indicates the actions of Officer Lucas were not objectionably reasonable,” the statement said.
According to the statement, Lucas, who is white, responded to a disturbance Saturday night following a report of a possible fight. He made contact with Price, who was reportedly involved in the disturbance, and Price “resisted in a non-threatening posture and began walking away,” the Texas Rangers said.
Lucas used a stun gun before shooting Price, who was taken to a hospital and died, the statement said.
Police didn’t release details about the disturbance, but family and friends of Price said Monday the one-time college football player was intervening in a domestic disturbance when he was shot.
“When police arrived, I’m told, he raised his hands and attempted to explain what was going on,” said civil rights attorney Lee Merritt in a Facebook posting. “Police fired Tasers at him and when his body convulsed from the electrical current, they ‘perceived a threat’ and shot him to death.”
Price’s relatives and friends said Price, a Wolfe City employee, was a well-known figure in the community. The town has about 1,500 residents and is about 70 miles northeast of Dallas.
Price played football in 2008 for Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. Hardin-Simmons football coach Jesse Burleson tweeted the university “lost one of our own in a terrible situation. Jonathan Price was an awesome young man during his time with Cowboy football.”
The Associated Press and Rich Barak of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributed to this report.
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