Former Hartford police officer Joseph Magnano was charged with first-degree manslaughter in connection to the fatal shooting of Steven 'Stevie' Jones.
Former Hartford, Connecticut, police officer Joseph Magnano was charged with first-degree manslaughter in connection to the February 27, 2026 fatalfrom the Connecticut Office of Inspector General , which was released on Monday, and comes after Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam announced in March that he had terminated Magnano amid a probe into the incident after viewing the police body camera video footage.
"The undersigned submits that Magnano, by shooting Jones, under circumstances evincing an extreme indifference to human life, recklessly engaged in conduct that created a grave risk of death to Jones, and thereby caused his death," the OIG report stated. "The undersigned further submits that Magnano's use of deadly force was not legally justified.
" Attorney Ben Crump, who represents the Jones family, welcomed the charge against Magnano in a statement on Monday, saying it was a "necessary and meaningful step toward accountability for Stevie Jones and his family. " "No family should ever have to bury a loved one because the systems meant to help them failed them so completely. We will not rest until his legacy produces real, lasting change," Crump added.
According to the OIG report, police responded to the scene after "a family member of Jones called 911 to seek assistance because Jones was having an acute mental health crisis.
" The caller indicated that Jones had "cut himself and had a knife in his hand," the report states. The caller was later identified as Audrey Jones, Stevie Jones' sister. Audrey Jones, who joined Crump for a press conference on Tuesday, thanked the community for its support and said the family is "pleased" that Magnano was charged.
"We, the Jones family, are pleased with the charges that have been brought against Officer Magnano in connection with my brother Stevie Jones' death," Audrey Jones said. "Faith in God, I have faith in God that there will be accountability and justice for Stevie Jones.
" Body camera videos of the incident taken from the four officers who responded to the scene showed the minutes leading up to the fatal shooting and the moment Jones was fatally shot by the officer, according to the OIG. Magnano fired nine times at Jones, who was walking around with a knife in the street and repeatedly ignoring officers' orders to drop the knife, according to the OIG.
At the moment he was shot, Jones appeared to be walking slowly toward one of the officers, still holding the knife, while the other three officers surrounded him, according to video reviewed by ABC News. In the footage, Jones appeared to be walking at a steady, slow pace, holding the knife in his hand with the blade pointed down towards the ground when he was shot.
Hartford Police Union President James Rutkauski, who condemned the mayor's decision to fire Magnano, told ABC News that Magnano's actions were "justified.
" "I am going to let the process work out. But I'm telling you now, I firmly believe he will be acquitted," Rutkauski said. He added, "We, the Hartford Police Union, support the matrix of law and due process, and we're going to abide by that, and we will respect the outcome that comes from this. "1 hour ago
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