The mother of Bishop Jones, who was fatally shot by a Montgomery County police officer May 30, can be heard screaming, “Stop. Stop. No, baby no. No baby” multiple times throughout a police body cam video that was released to the public Wednesday.
“Stop shooting the gun, baby please,” LaTanya Jones can be heard pleading with her son.
The released video is 32 minutes long, but the incident evolved over more than two hours.
The Maryland Attorney General’s office, which is investigating the police-involved shooting, had delayed release of the video “while our investigators conduct witness interviews,” a spokesperson from that office previously had explained to MCM.
Police were called by Jones’ mother, LaTanya Jones, to her apartment in the 3300 block of Hampton Point Drive in Fairland for what was reported as a dispute.
Jones’ brother had fled the apartment by jumping out a window and met police, telling them he heard two gunshots. He told police only his mother and brother remained in the home, according to the video.
Throughout much of the video, police are in phone contact with either Jones, who lived in Clinton, his mother or both.
A police officer repeatedly tells the mother to get out of the house for her own safety. She informs police her son is holding a gun, and she cannot leave.
She can be heard begging her son, who was the father of two and a graduate Springbrook High School, to put down his gun as police will kill him. “They’ll shoot you. I don’t want them to shoot you,” Jones can be heard saying on the video.
A little later, she repeats, “They are going to kill you, and I don’t want that baby.”
The officer lets Bishop Jones know a few times that “you are not in trouble” as he hasn’t hurt anyone. The officer explains that the police just want to help.
There is a one-hour and 44-minute gap in the video, and then two officers are seen entering the apartment. A few seconds later, multiple shots can be heard as an officer yells, “drop it, drop it,” and also, “drop the f***ing knife.”
Police enter a bathroom during the shooting. Seconds later, an officer can be seen dragging Jones’ body out of a room behind the bathroom, and someone yells for a medic.
The Jones family held a candlelight vigil July 14, on what would have been Biship Jones’ 29th birthday at the East County Community Center in Silver Spring.
During the vigil, family members called for the release of the video and questioned why no mental health practitioner was with the police as they tried to end the standoff. “Instead, MCPD called for the SWAT team,” Jones’ cousin had said.
Family members also called for justice and punishment for the Officer Edward Cochran, who was identified as the one who fired at Jones.
This is the video that was released by the Maryland Attorney General’s office. It contains violent scenes.
Related Post
Family, Community Call Out for Police Video in Officer-Involved Fatal Shooting
