Hundreds of demonstrators gathered around Palm Beach Gardens Police Department headquarters on Thursday to protest the fatal police shooting of Corey Jones, a resident of nearby Boynton Beach who played drums at a local church.
Jones, 31, was driving home early Sunday morning after his band performed a late-night show, according to media reports and a statement from his family. His car broke down on a highway off-ramp around 3 a.m., and he called a fellow band member. The two couldn't start the car, so they called for a tow truck. Jones was waiting for it to arrive when Palm Beach Gardens police officer Nouman Raja pulled up in an unmarked vehicle.
Police say Raja thought the car was abandoned, but encountered an armed man when he stepped out of his unmarked van. Jones had a gun with him, police say, but he was licensed to carry it. His family told USA Today that he often carries expensive music equipment late at night and felt a gun could keep him safe.
#CoreyJones ‘went to his grave not knowing’ he was killed by a police officer: attorney https://t.co/jUzmOJlud7 pic.twitter.com/SLPhQ0dSLS— Raw Story (@RawStory) October 22, 2015
Details surrounding the encounter are still fuzzy. But Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the Jones family, is troubled by some of the facts.
Raja was on duty but in plainclothes, and Crump said the officer didn't show Jones his badge. It's unclear whether he identified himself as an officer.
Crump: "How did #CoreyJones know he was a cop? He rolled up in a white van, no badge, with jeans, a t-shirt and a baseball cap." @CBS12— Suzanne Boyd (@SuzanneBoyd) October 22, 2015
Raja fired his gun six times, hitting Jones three times, according to Sun Sentinel. But Jones didn't fire his gun at all, according to Crump. Jones' body was also found lying 80-100 feet away from his car, indicating he may have fled. Jones' gun was found on the street between his car and his body.
"We believe Corey went to his grave not knowing if this was a real cop," Crump said on Thursday. "He didn't know if he's about to be robbed."
Signs at #CoreyJones rally in Palm Beach Gardens pic.twitter.com/xl3UNZnMp4— Joshua Chavers (@JoshuaChavers) October 22, 2015
The fatal shooting of Jones by a police officer is the latest such incident to make national news, but this case already has key differences. Prior cases that made national headlines involved unarmed black Americans, while Jones was legally carrying a gun. Raja was also not in uniform, which again contrasts with many prior cases.
Attorney Benjamin Crump with Corey Jones' brother C.J. at #RallyForAnswers for #CoreyJones pic.twitter.com/bSPtA6Zz8G— PB Post Photo (@PBPostPhoto) October 22, 2015
Several reverends spoke at the rally for Jones on Thursday, and many carried signs with messages demanding details about why Raja fired at Jones that night.
Supporters here at #CoreyJones rally holding signs with #transparency and #justiceforcorey pic.twitter.com/AsmoXwcEiR— Joshua Chavers (@JoshuaChavers) October 22, 2015
Hundreds rallying for #CoreyJones at the #PalmBeachGardens Police Dept. Crowds seeking transparency and answers. pic.twitter.com/oZY8yEYiq5— WPBF 25 News (@WPBF25News) October 22, 2015
Jones' brother, Clinton Jones Jr., said Corey would never pull a gun on a police officer, echoing others who said the drummer was brought up to respect law enforcement.
Crump also asked whether gun rights advocates would come to his defense.
"Are people going to come and support Corey's right to have his gun and protect himself?" he said.