An early Friday morning shooting in south Jones County is being investigated by Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills, who released information at a press conference at his office Friday afternoon.
Sills said Ronald R. Evans, 54, was shot several times by a Jones County deputy about 1:30 a.m. in the parking lot of C&J’s Food Mart on Highway 49. He said he was called at 2:12 a.m. by Chief Deputy Earl Humphries requesting him to investigate the shooting.
The sheriff said he viewed the dash cam and body cams of the officers involved. He said Evans was shot by the deputy who was attempting a traffic stop when he pointed a rifle at a second deputy approaching the scene.
“I see nothing improper here at all, whatsoever,” he said. “It’s a wonder there wasn’t another deputy sheriff killed.”
Sills said the incident started when the deputy on patrol near the South Recreation Complex noticed a jeep driving slowly in the recreation park. The jeep had no doors, and the driver was not wearing a seatbelt.
The sheriff said the driver became belligerent when contacted by the deputy.
When the deputy asked for a license, the driver took off. After a short chase, the driver turned into C&J’s and stopped so quickly the deputy’s vehicle bumped the jeep.
A second deputy was a short distance away, preparing to assist in stopping the suspect’s car, and began running toward the scene where the vehicles were stopped.
“The driver of the jeep got out and pointed a gun at the deputy who was coming toward him. The other deputy opened fire, striking the driver multiple times,” the sheriff said.
Sills added that the investigation is ongoing. He said additional information and video of the shooting would be released Monday after he speaks with the DA’s office. More complete details will be available in next week’s edition of The Jones County News.
