Search fatalities

Robert Jones

Gender : Male

Age : 55

Race : Black

Date : 10/03/2024

Location : Willits Road and Holme Drive

City : Philadelphia

County : Allegheny

State : Pennsylvania

Agency : Philadelphia Police Department

Officer(s) :Christopher Sweeney

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by off-duty officer during altercation

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On the night of October 3, 2024, at approximately 11:30 p.m., Robert Jones, a 54-year-old Black man and part-time roadside assistance operator, was fatally shot by off-duty Philadelphia Police Detective Christopher Sweeney at the intersection of Willits Road and Holme Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia. Detective Sweeney, a 43-year-old white male with 14 years of service in the department's Homicide Division, was driving his personal vehicle when he stopped at the intersection. Jones, who was driving behind Sweeney, also stopped his vehicle. According to police reports, Jones exited his car and approached Sweeney's vehicle on foot. While seated in the driver's seat, Sweeney opened fire with his personally owned gun multiple times, striking Jones. Jones was transported by responding patrol officers to Jefferson-Torresdale Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. It is unusual and unclear why he was driven by officers instead of EMS. The Philadelphia Police Department's Officer Involved Shooting Investigations Unit (OISI), Internal Affairs, and the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office are conducting investigations into the incident. Initial reports suggested the incident was an attempted carjacking; however, this claim was later retracted.

Regarding the initial claim of an attempted carjacking, this assertion originated from police dispatch communications. Shortly after the shooting, a police official reported over dispatch radio: "I got a male shot on the highway here, attempted carjacking of an off-duty officer." This information was disseminated to the media and public, framing the incident as an attempted carjacking. However, subsequent investigations revealed that Robert Jones was unarmed, and no weapon was found at the scene or in nearby areas. Law enforcement sources later indicated that the initial carjacking narrative was no longer considered accurate.

Investigators searched the area, including nearby manholes and sewers, but did not recover any weapon associated with Jones. Family members and their attorney assert that Jones was unarmed and may have approached Sweeney's vehicle to offer assistance, as he was wearing a reflective vest commonly used by roadside workers. The family of Robert Jones has expressed frustration over the lack of information and progress in the investigation. They have held protests and demanded transparency and justice, questioning why no charges have been filed against Detective Sweeney. The rapid dissemination of the attempted carjacking claim, followed by its retraction, has raised concerns about the accuracy of initial police reports and the potential impact on public perception. The family of Robert Jones and their attorney have expressed frustration over these inconsistencies and the lack of transparency in the investigation. As of now, Sweeney remains on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigations.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/video/off-duty-philadelphia-police-officer-shoots-kills-man-in-northeast-philadelphia/
https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/video/off-duty-philadelphia-officer-shoots-kills-man-in-northeast-philly/
https://www.fox29.com/news/family-demands-answers-after-man-fatally-shot-off-duty-detective-philadelphiahttps://www.thetrace.org/2025/01/philly-police-oversight-tonya-mcclary/
https://www.fox29.com/news/family-demands-answers-after-man-fatally-shot-off-duty-detective-philadelphiahttps://www.inquirer.com/crime/robert-jones-philadelphia-shooting-off-duty-police-20241007.html