Texas police officer charged with murder over killing of black man

A white police officer has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting of a black man following a reported disturbance at a convenience store in a small east Texas town over the weekend, authorities said.

Wolfe City officer Shaun Lucas, 22, was booked into the Hunt county jail over the death of 31-year-old Jonathan Price, the Texas Rangers said in a statement released by the Texas department of public safety.

“The preliminary investigation indicates that the actions of Officer Lucas were not objectionably reasonable,” the statement said.

Jail records show bail was set at $1m. It was not immediately known if Lucas had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.

According to the statement, Lucas responded to a disturbance call on Saturday night following a report of a possible fight. He made contact with Price, who was reportedly involved in the disturbance, and Price “resisted in a non-threatening posture and began walking away”, the Texas Rangers said.

Lucas used a stun gun before shooting Price, who was taken to a hospital and died, the statement said.

Police did not release details about the disturbance, but family and friends of Price said the one-time college football player was intervening in a domestic disturbance when he was shot.

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

After Lucas’s arrest was announced, Merritt posted: “This didn’t happen quickly. It should [have] happened the day he murdered JP. John should still be here.”

Price’s relatives and friends said Price, a Wolfe City employee, was a figure well-known about the closely knit community. The town has about 1,500 residents about 70 miles north-east of Dallas.

Price played football in 2008 for Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. The Hardin-Simmons football coach, Jesse Burleson, tweeted that the university “lost one of our own in a terrible situation. Jonathan Price was an awesome young man during his time with Cowboy football.”

The former Major League Baseball third baseman Will Middlebrooks, who grew up with Price, said on Facebook: “I’m sick. I’m heartbroken … and I’m furious.”

Middlebrooks started an online fundraiser for Price’s family that surpassed its $50,000 goal in less than 24 hours.