FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE)- A former Florida police officer who fatally shot a former University of Saint Francis football player last October has been charged with attempted murder and manslaughter.
31-year-old Corey Jones was shot by former police officer Nouman Raja after Jones’ SUV broke down in the early morning hours of October 18.
According to the probable cause affidavit the musician was on his way back from playing a gig with his band early Sunday when his car broke down.
Around 1:44 a.m. he used his cell phone to call Florida Highway Patrol to request roadside assistance. Later, one of Jones’ bandmates came to help start the car, but left after the attempt was unsuccessful.
Jones was on the phone with roadside assistance when Raja, who was on duty, showed up in plain clothes and an unmarked vehicle, according to the report.
The verbal exchange between Jones and Raja was recorded on the roadside assistance line. It only took minutes for the encounter with Raja to turn deadly.
According to the transcript, Jones first said, “Huh?”
Raja: “You good?”
Jones: “I’m good.”
Raja: “Really?”
Jones: “Yeah; I’m good,”
Raja: “Really?”
Jones: “Yeah.”
Raja: “Get your f—— hands up! Get your f—— hands up!”
Jones: “Hold on!”
Raja “Get your f—— hands up! Drop!”
According to the State’s Attorney’s report Raja fired three gunshots within two seconds, then fired three more shots. All total, Raja fired six shots at Jones, hitting him three times. A gunshot wound to the chest is what ultimately killed Jones.
Based on the recording, Raja did not identify himself as a police officer, and the probable cause affidavit said there’s no doubt Jones was running away from Raja.
Former University of Saint Francis teammate Michael Ledo said the new details only reinforce what kind of person Corey Jones really was: peaceful. Ledo said he was confident his former teammate did nothing wrong.
“That’s what we anticipated to be the truth it just kind of came out,” said Ledo. “A great young man a peaceful person. I think it’s peaceful to know what we knew in our hearts to be true was true.”
Police later recovered a handgun, which Jones had bought a week earlier, and was legally authorized to carry. Jones’ gun had not been fired, according to the State Attorneys’ Office.
The probable cause document said this was sufficient evidence to conclude Raja continued to shoot Jones even after he realized Jones no longer had a firearm. The document goes on to say Raja intended to kill Jones.
“I can say I’m saddened by it but I’m conscious to the reality of what goes on out there,” said Ledo.
Ledo hopes this situation will remind people that everyone should be treated as equals.
“Not having a prejudice toward anybody and valuing all lives,” he said. “I think that’s the biggest thing. It’s nothing new that we haven’t heard. Let’s start doing it.”
Palm Beach Gardens officials later fired Raja citing that he was hired in April and still on probation.
The charge of manslaughter is a second-degree felony which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The attempted first-degree murder charge is a felony punishable by up to life in prison.
