On Saturday, a 31-year-old Black man was shot and killed by a police officer at a Texas gas station while he was attempting to break up a fight.
The man, Jonathan Price, was a resident of Wolfe City and an employee of the city’s public works department.
Before he was fatally shot, Price was trying to stop an altercation between a man and a woman when the man turned to Price and assaulted him. When officers arrived at the scene, Price was “singled out,” tasered, shot and killed by Officer Shaun Lucas, who was booked into the Hunt County Jail on Monday with a $1 million bond and was charged with murder today.
#BREAKING New statement from the Texas Rangers on the arrest of #WolfeCity Police Officer Shaun Lucas. He’s charged with murder in the death of #JonathanPrice
“The preliminary investigation indicates that the actions of Officer Lucas were not objectively reasonable.” pic.twitter.com/Zz7sHkJqrl
— Alex Rozier (@RozierReports) October 6, 2020
Will Middlebrooks, a childhood friend of Price and former professional baseball player, went on social media to express his emotions over his friend’s death. He revealed that Price suffered a bullet wound to the chest and two to his back after he complied with officers’ and put his hands in the air.
“There’s no excuses this time…’he was a criminal’… Nope, not this time. ‘He resisted arrest, just comply with the cops.’ Nope that one doesn’t work this time either. This was purely an act of racism. Period. So, for all you that think this is all bullsh*t, you need to check yourself,” Middlebrooks said.
Shaun David Lucas is in custody for the murder of #JonathanPrice. His bond has been set at $1,000,000.00
This didn’t happen quickly. It should happened the day he murdered JP. John should still be here.
This is step one. Let’s see it through to justice. pic.twitter.com/ydC124MYbG
— S. Lee Merritt, Esq. (@MeritLaw) October 6, 2020
Now, the family attorney, Lee Merritt, is demanding to see the body camera footage and official police reports as the Price family continues to mourn.
“I loved my son, and I tried to bring him up to do the right thing,” Junior Price, Jonathan’s father, said.
A GoFundMe has been organized by Middlebrooks to cover Price’s funeral expenses.
