Corey Jones (WPTV)
Phone records obtained by The Palm Beach Post indicate Corey Jones, the Florida man shot dead by a Palm Beach Gardens police officer, was killed five minutes after he called roadside assistance.
According to the phone log, Officer Nouman Raja shot Jones soon after he arrived on the scene. Raja was driving an unmarked police car and apparently didn’t identify himself. Benjamin Crump, the Jones family attorney, said Corey Jones never fired his gun. Jones, a part-time musician who also worked for the Delray Beach Housing Authority, had no criminal record and also possessed a concealed permit for his gun.
A police statement said Raja was investigating an abandoned vehicle, when he was confronted by an armed suspect and forced to discharge his weapon. Raw Story reported Raja used his unmarked van to block Jones’ car and fired six times at him including one shot when he was running away. Jones body was found about 100 feet from his car.
On the night of his death, Jones made four phone calls, according to AT&T records. He called a woman named Manoucheka Sinmelus to say he was going to pick her up after a show, called a bandmate for help, called the Florida Highway Patrol and then called the AT&T roadside assistance line. Calls to the roadside assistance line are recorded, so there might be audio evidence of the incident. Jones did everything he was supposed to do and still ended up dead at the hands of a police officer.
In a statement released last week, the Jones family said they were working with their attorneys to find out more information about the case.
“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. We will never forget Corey. We are hopeful that the memory of his smiling face will give us strength during this incredibly difficult time,” said the Jones family. “Corey Jones was a God-fearing man who dedicated his life to doing the right thing. 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.”
According to Yahoo! News, Jones’ grandfather, Bishop Sylvester Banks, urged Raja to do the right thing.
“I would plead to him to tell the truth. The truth will set you free,” he said.
