Texas Rangers arrest Wolfe City officer on murder charge after fatal shooting

The Texas Rangers have arrested a Wolfe City police officer on a charge of murder after the officer fatally shot a man Saturday, authorities said.

The officer, 22-year-old Shaun Lucas, was booked Monday into the Hunt County Jail. Jail records show his bail was set at $1 million.

A statement from the Texas Rangers, sent in an email by Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Lonny Haschel, said Lucas fatally shot 31-year-old Jonathan Price while responding to a disturbance call about 8:30 p.m. Saturday in the 100 block of Santa Fe Street in Wolfe City, about 70 miles northeast of Dallas.

At some point, Lucas tried to detain Price, according to the Texas Rangers. Price “resisted in a non-threatening posture and began walking away.” Then, Lucas deployed his Taser and shot Price with his service weapon, authorities said.

Price was taken to Hunt Regional Hospital, where he died.

The Texas Rangers’ preliminary investigation found that “the actions of Officer Lucas were not objectionably reasonable,” and the department decided to charge him with murder.

It was unclear whether Lucas had an attorney.

Lucas’ arrest came after mourners gathered to grieve at an evening vigil for Price, NBC5 reported. Calls demanding justice for Price, a Black man shot by a white officer, follow months of protests nationwide over police violence and systemic racism.

Attorney Lee Merritt, speaking on behalf of Price’s family, previously told the station: “We want the officer officially named, identified and arrested.”

“This is step one,” Merritt tweeted after Lucas’ arrest. “Let’s see it through to justice.”

WFAA-TV (Channel 8) reported that Price’s father, Junior Price, rushed to the scene of the shooting and spoke with the officer who shot his son.

“I said, ‘Who shot Jonathan?’” he said. “He said, ‘I did.’ And I said, ‘What’d you shoot him for?’”

The officer then told Price’s father to get back, and that he’d tell him later, he told WFAA.

Officials had said little about the shooting before Monday night. On Sunday, the city said only that an officer was on leave while the Texas Rangers investigated.

The Texas Rangers said Monday they are working with the Wolfe City Police Department and the Hunt County district attorney’s office on the investigation.