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Texas Officer Charged With Murder For Shooting Man Who Attempted To Intervene In Fight

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The Texas police officer who allegedly shot and killed Jonathan Price outside a gas station Saturday was arrested and charged with murder Monday, according to prosecutors.

Officer Shaun David Lucas’s bond was posted at $1 million, CBS DFW reported. Price, 31, had attempted to deescalate a fight between a man and woman outside a gas station in Wolfe City, Texas, according to an ABC affiliate, and Lucas allegedly tased then fatally shot Price.

“This is the first step. This man is dangerous and should not be out on bond. The family was relieved to hear of his arrest and are looking forward to his conviction,” Dallas attorney Lee Merritt said, CBS DFW reported.

Texas police officer arrested on murder charge in fatal shooting of Black man at gas station.
The TX Dept. of Public Safety said a preliminary investigation indicates the officer’s actions “were not objectionably reasonable.”: @NBCNews. #JonathanPrice https://t.co/fAdTkFKSPk pic.twitter.com/3p31MQuYJm

— Shomari Stone (@shomaristone) October 6, 2020

Witnesses said the fight was over by the time police arrived on the scene, CBS DFW reported.

“When police arrived, I’m told, he raised his hands and attempted to explain what was going on,” civil rights lawyer Lee Merritt said on Facebook. “Police fired tasers at him and when his body convulsed from the electrical current, they ‘perceived a threat’ and shot him to death.”

Witness Kyla Sanders described Price as someone the community loved and said he was “the nicest guy you could ever meet,” an ABC affiliate reported.

“I want to see what the man gets… what he has coming to him for killing my son,” Price’s father, Junior Price said, CBS DFW reported.

According to Price’s family, a video of the incident shows the shooting was unjustified, CBS DFW reported.

“The chief saw the video and told me he wasn’t happy with what he saw,” Merritt said, CBS DFW reported.

The Texas Rangers claim Price resisted arrest “in a non-threatening posture and began walking away,” when Lucas allegedly tased then shot him, CBS DFW reported.

“The preliminary investigation indicates that the actions of Officer Lucas were not objectionably reasonable,” the Texas Rangers said in a statement reported by CBS DFW.

Lucas was booked into the Hunt County Jail and was reportedly transported to the Rockwall County Jail, according to CBS DFW.

The Hunt County Sheriff’s office declined to comment on Lucas’s reported transfer to the Daily Caller News Foundation.