Cop Who Killed Church Drummer Corey Jones Fired From Department

Jones was on the phone with roadside assistance when he was shot.
LOADINGERROR LOADING

The Florida officer who killed a black man whose car had stalled on the highway has been fired from his department.

Nouman Raja was previously on paid administrative leave after fatally shooting Corey Jones on Oct. 18. On Thursday, the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department said in a statement that Raja's employment had been terminated.

Officer Nouman Raja was fired after fatally shooting church drummer Corey Jones.
Officer Nouman Raja was fired after fatally shooting church drummer Corey Jones.
Palm Beach Gardens Police Department

"The independent criminal investigation ... is ongoing and the city will continue to cooperate with all agencies involved," the statement read.

During the incident, Jones was sitting in his car after it broke down on the highway. Raja, who was not in uniform and driving an unmarked van, stopped to investigate Jones' vehicle at 3:15 a.m.

"As the officer exited his vehicle, he was suddenly confronted by an armed subject," a now-deleted Facebook post on the department's page read at the time of the incident. "As a result of the confrontation, the officer discharged his firearm, resulting in the death of the subject."

Corey Jones was a well-known drummer for his local church band.
Corey Jones was a well-known drummer for his local church band.
Family handout

Raja shot Jones three times. Jones had legally purchased a gun just a few days before, which he had on him, according to police. A law firm representing Jones' family said the victim never fired his weapon, according to NBC Miami. Phone records show that Jones was fatally shot while he was on the phone with AT&T's roadside assistance.

A statement released Thursday from the Jones family said while they are grateful the officer has been fired, Raja must also be "criminally liable for his reckless actions that night."

Jones was a well-known drummer for his local church band.

“He was like a really peaceful guy," Mathew Huntsberger, who had played a show with Jones just before the shooting, told the Palm Beach Post. "We’re all musicians and stuff. We’re not violent people.”

“He was a good kid, just coming home from a gig,” Jones’ cousin Frank Hearst told The Washington Post. “He was just an all-around good guy who never got into any trouble, never had any record. It’s just an unfortunate situation.”

Also on HuffPost:

How Police Sanitize Police Brutality

Police Brutality

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot