A Hartford police officer was charged with manslaughter on Monday in the fatal shooting of Steven Jones, a 55-year old Black man, who was suffering from a mental health crisis.
The Connecticut Inspector General’s Office, which is responsible for reviewing every police shooting in the state, filed an arrest warrant for former officer Joseph Magnano after a roughly two-and-a-half-month investigation into the shooting.
Magnano, who was fired from his job with the Hartford Police Department in March, was arrested on Monday and arraigned in Hartford Superior Court, where he was released on $50,000 bail.
The criminal charge filed against Magnano marks only the second time that the Inspector General’s Office has sought to prosecute a police officer for killing someone while in the line of duty.
The special prosecutor’s office similarly charged Brian North, a Connecticut State Trooper, with manslaughter in 2022 after he shot and killed 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane following a high-speed chase.
North was eventually acquitted by a jury after a week-long trial.
Eliot Prescott, who was appointed as inspector general last year, made the decision to charge Magnano for killing Jones in a relatively short period of time compared to many other investigations that the office has conducted in recent years.
Police body camera footage captured nearly every angle of the shooting in Harford on Feb. 27.
Those videos showed how three other officers had arrived at Jones’ apartment before Magnano and how they had attempted to talk down Jones, who was carrying a knife and visibly disturbed.
That footage also showed that Magnano was on at the scene for less than 30 seconds before pulling out his handgun and firing nine shots at Jones, who immediately fell to the pavement.
Hartford’s Democratic Mayor Arunan Arulampalam issued a statement on Monday calling the charges against Magnano an important step.
“When I made the decision to terminate Mr. Magnano, it was because his actions on Feb. 27 violated the core principles of public safety, care, and crisis de-escalation that Hartford demands of its officers,” Arulampalam said. “The Hartford Police Department is built on a foundation of trust and a commitment to serving every resident with excellence. Today represents a critical, independent step towards ensuring that foundation remains stable.”
The mayor also expressed his condolences to Jones’ family, who have continued to call for accountability.
“My heart remains with the family and loved ones of Steven Jones as they navigate this painful chapter,” Arulampalam said. “My administration will continue to cooperate with state investigators, and I respect the judicial process and will continue to support a transparent, thorough path toward accountability for the Jones family and the Hartford community.”
