The incident resulted in the death of 52-year-old Michael Jones, a convicted felon. Had Jones survived his injuries, he would have been arrested for Aggravated Assault of a Law Enforcement Officer with a Firearm, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Law Enforcement Officer, and Trespassing in a Conveyance.

On Friday, January 30, 2026, task force officers attempted to stop a stolen vehicle driven by Jones. Jones fled from law enforcement. The officers did not pursue him. Surveillance footage showed Jones was driving the stolen vehicle, and he was armed with a firearm. 

On Tuesday, February 10, task force officers driving a covert vehicle located and began following Jones in the stolen vehicle. The task force officers requested help from marked patrol units. Patrol officers and task force officers continued to follow Jones in the stolen vehicle until Jones parked it in a driveaway on Kaleel Road. 

Jones exited the stolen vehicle and took off running. Sergeant Howell and Officer Higginbotham chased after Jones. During the chase, Sergeant Howell twice deployed his taser, seemingly without effect. Sergeant Howell watched Jones reach for a firearm, which led the sergeant to move from his taser to his JSO-approved handgun. Sergeant Howell fired at Jones, striking him. Sergeant Howell and Officer Higginbotham continued to instruct Jones to stop reaching for his gun, but Jones did not comply. Sergeant Howell and Officer Higginbotham fired at Jones. Jones died at the scene. 

Crime scene detectives found two guns at the scene: a Glock 43X near Jones and a Raven Arms MP-25 in Jones’ back pocket. 

The State Attorney’s Office will independently review the incident to assess the legality of the officers’ actions. JSO will then conduct an internal review to ensure the officers acted within policy. Conclusions remain pending.

*Viewer discretion is advised: the videos are graphic.* This video contains discussions of true crime events that may be disturbing to some viewers. It is intended for mature audiences and for educational purposes only. Viewer discretion is advised. The content is presented in a storytelling style and does not promote violence or harm.
 
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