Lucas Jones, officer involved in 2016 Jerime Mitchell shooting, discharged from CRPD
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Lucas Jones, the police officer involved in the 2016 shooting that left a Cedar Rapids man paralyzed, has been discharged from the Cedar Rapids Police Department for violating rules and policies of the department.
A statement (read full statement below) from CRPD says an investigation began in February of 2020 and that Jones has been on administrative leave since May 4.
Details on what exact rules he allegedly violated or what instance brought about the investigation are not being released at this time.
Jones had come under scrutiny after the November 2016 shooting of Jerime Mitchell but a grand jury cleared him of any wrong doing and cleared Mitchell of any charges.
Officials say around 1 a.m. on November 1, 2016, then-officer Jones pulled Mitchell over. Jones said he originally pulled him over because the lights on his license plate were burned out but later smelled marijuana.
Authorities say Mitchell began an altercation with Jones that night and tried to flee, and that is when Jones fired three times, hitting him in the neck once. Mitchell was paralyzed from the shooting and crashed into multiple cars near Coe College.
Dash camera video of the incident was released but the body audio on Jones was not working so it is not clear what is said between the two.
Jones claims Mitchell greeted him with profanity but Mitchell refuted that account, saying he felt frightened and tried to get back into his truck.
That was the second officer-involved shooting in Cedar Rapids that Jones had been involved in. He was cleared of any wrong-doing in the deadly November 2015 shooting of Jonathan Gossman.
FULL CEDAR RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT STATEMENT
On June 18, 2020, Lucas Jones was discharged from the Cedar Rapids Police Department for violating rules and policies of the department. An administrative investigation began in February 2020. Jones has been on administrative leave from the Cedar Rapids Police Department since May 4, 2020. Additional details are not available as this is a personnel matter. Employees under Civil Service shall have the right to appeal to the Civil Service Commission. Appeals involving the suspension, demotion, or discharge of a person holding civil service rights must be appealed in writing with the Clerk of the Civil Service Commission within fourteen (14) days after suspension, demotion, or discharge.
