Updated – Pastor Jonathan Ayers Killed in Drug Sting

The question is, did the plain clothes officers properly identify themselves and were they wearing badges that could be clearly/easily identified?

I know if saw at least two men jump out of truck with guns in their hands, as done in this incident, I would drive off too, in fear for my life. Since it happen so fast, I would speculate that he did not know they were undercover police officers. I seriously question, why these plain clothes drug enforcement officers did not obtain the assistance of a uniformed police officer, in marked police vehicle before try to approach the subject.

Since the incident happen so quickly, I do not believe this young man knew they were police, but thought it might be car jacker’s, and if they yelled out “Stop Police”, how could believe them when their in plain clothes and the are dressed like everyday thugs, in jeans and T-shirts, caring guns.

The undercover drug enforcement officers should have acquired the assistance of a marked police unit to approach to the subjects vehicle first. By not doing so, and by approaching the subject vehicle in the manor which took place in the video, it could be strenuously argued that the subject was murdered, killed recklessly do to the officers negligence, do to the officers failure to handle the matter in a more safe and professional manor. This young man more then likely died do to the reckless acts of these officers. Not only did they put the subjects life at risk, but risked the life’s of innocent citizens that were standing near by. They could of very easily arrested him while he was in the store or when he walked out. Instead they rushed him like thugs in a car jacking and I believe the young reacted out of fear for his life.

My advice to the family, seek legal counsel to investigate the matter more closely. If the officers are negligent as it appears they may be in the video, File suit against the officers, the agency the work for, etc. It is only right, since this young mans wife is going to have to raise their baby with out a father, and then explain to the child how the police accidentally shot his/her father by mistake. This is not the first time police have acted recklessly in an investigation, like this… This is not Iraq or Afghanistan, you don’t rush some like they did in this video, unless your looking for a reason or already have the intent to kill the person, otherwise your just being completely and foolishly reckless.

Please Note: I have no ill feeling toward peace officers, I just hate to see reckless incompetence such as this appears it may be. There a lot of good police officers out their, but the ones in this video appear to have acted recklessly in this situation and killed a innocent man for no justifiable reason.

When officers act recklessly as it appears they may have done here, it us the tax payers that in the end get stuck with paying for their foolish mistakes. There is no place for incompetent officers on any police force, the risk is to high too tax payers..

Marcus D Knight
Advisor/Consultant
Corporate Security & Liability Consultant

Bryan, sounds like you are making assumtions. Actually he gave her a ride 1. because he knew her and had been witnessing to her for years. 2.. She was visibly having trouble walking because she had a miscarraige a week or so before. 3. He even gave her money to catch up her and and her finacee’s rent in the motel (he knew him too). Thus why he stopped at the ATM to get money. 4.For more than a year before this incident Jonathan had been working with programs all over the county preaching to the homeless and drug addicts (Just like Jesus did and tells us to) and had helped enact some type of assistance for them but was voted down.

I do understand how that could all look suspisious to someone that didn’t know Jonathan. All of that aside.
The plain fact is he died because of the Undercover Agents lack of Training and Overzealousness. I am not consumed with hate for these men. I pray for them, Thier lives are also runined. Jonathan would not have wanted that at all, which only makes it more sad and tragic that someone with such a beautiful soul and that had done so much for people that he didn’t even know was taken out of this world in such a horrific manor. His family is just stunned as I’m sure that you can imagine. Yes we are mad but not out for these officers blood. In society if you act reckless and someone dies YOU are held responsible for your actions. I believe that these officers should do so as well.
Visit http://www.justice4jonathan.webs.com

The question is, did the plain clothes officers properly identify themselves and were they wearing badges that could be clearly/easily identified?
I know if saw at least two men jump out of truck with guns in their hands, as done in this incident, I would drive off too, in fear for my life. Since it happen so fast, I would speculate that he did not know they were undercover police officers. I seriously question, why these plain clothes drug enforcement officers did not obtain the assistance of a uniformed police officer, in marked police vehicle before try to approach the subject.
Since the incident happen so quickly, I do not believe this young man knew they were police, but thought it might be car jacker’s, and if they yelled out “Stop Police”, how could believe them when their in plain clothes and the are dressed like everyday thugs, in jeans and T-shirts, caring guns.
The undercover drug enforcement officers should have acquired the assistance of a marked police unit to approach to the subjects vehicle first. By not doing so, and by approaching the subject vehicle in the manor which took place in the video, it could be strenuously argued that the subject was murdered, killed recklessly do to the officers negligence, do to the officers failure to handle the matter in a more safe and professional manor. This young man more then likely died do to the reckless acts of these officers. Not only did they put the subjects life at risk, but risked the life’s of innocent citizens that were standing near by. They could of very easily arrested him while he was in the store or when he walked out. Instead they rushed him like thugs in a car jacking and I believe the young reacted out of fear for his life.
My advice to the family, seek legal counsel to investigate the matter more closely. If the officers are negligent as it appears they may be in the video, File suit against the officers, the agency the work for, etc. It is only right, since this young mans wife is going to have to raise their baby with out a father, and then explain to the child how the police accidentally shot his/her father by mistake. This is not the first time police have acted recklessly in an investigation, like this… This is not Iraq or Afghanistan, you don’t rush some like they did in this video, unless your looking for a reason or already have the intent to kill the person, otherwise your just being completely and foolishly reckless.
Please Note: I have no ill feeling toward peace officers, I just hate to see reckless incompetence such as this appears it may be. There a lot of good police officers out their, but the ones in this video appear to have acted recklessly in this situation and killed a innocent man for no justifiable reason.
When officers act recklessly as it appears they may have done here, it us the tax payers that in the end get stuck with paying for their foolish mistakes. There is no place for incompetent officers on any police force, the risk is to high too tax payers..

Marcus D Knight
Advisor/Consultant
Corporate Security & Liability Consultant

Bryan, sounds like you are making assumtions. Actually he gave her a ride 1. because he knew her and had been witnessing to her for years. 2.. She was visibly having trouble walking because she had a miscarraige a week or so before. 3. He even gave her money to catch up her and and her finacee’s rent in the motel (he knew him too). Thus why he stopped at the ATM to get money. 4.For more than a year before this incident Jonathan had been working with programs all over the county preaching to the homeless and drug addicts (Just like Jesus did and tells us to) and had helped enact some type of assistance for them but was voted down.
I do understand how that could all look suspisious to someone that didn’t know Jonathan. All of that aside.
The plain fact is he died because of the Undercover Agents lack of Training and Overzealousness. I am not consumed with hate for these men. I pray for them, Thier lives are also runined. Jonathan would not have wanted that at all, which only makes it more sad and tragic that someone with such a beautiful soul and that had done so much for people that he didn’t even know was taken out of this world in such a horrific manor. His family is just stunned as I’m sure that you can imagine. Yes we are mad but not out for these officers blood. In society if you act reckless and someone dies YOU are held responsible for your actions. I believe that these officers should do so as well.
Visit http://www.justice4jonathan.webs.com

You ask why a Pastor would have someone wanted for drugs in his car??? Perhaps he was doing what more of us should be doing and risking our lives to reach out in the name of Jesus Christ to help and encourage our brothers and sisters. May his life be an inspiration to others, that we may step out of our comfort zones, out of our safe zones, and be willing to be a light unto the darkness, as Christ did. As for the cops, hey, guys, if you step in front of a moving vehicle, there’s a good chance you’re going to get hit. I have a lot of respect for most officers. I also believe you have to stay grounded and level-headed in extreme circumstances. Why were guns drawn on an unarmed man? Why didn’t they approach him while he was on foot in the store or in the parking lot, before he got into a moving vehicle? My prayers go out to all involved. I don’t know all of the circumstances, but the situation leaves many questions…and a family without a husband and father.

This isn’t a misunderstanding. There is no justification for the way the police acted. “They acted on instinct” is not a valid defense. There are a million better ways that they could have handled this but instead they chose to murder this man.

Here in the USA, we are required to register our vehicles. The police had plenty of time to get the reverend’s license plate number while he was in the store. They could have sent a uniformed police officer to his house to question him. They also could have walked up to the store and approached him calmly at the entrance without brandishing their weapons. Instead, they waited until he was in his car to ambush him. I can’t fathom any explanation as to why they might have thought this would be a good idea, to wait until he was behind the wheel of his car with the engine running, so that they could jump out with weapons drawn and engage him in broad daylight in a parking lot on a busy street.

Watch this story, they will try to justify it, they will say they are following protocol, but they won’t attempt to explain why they thought it was a good idea to ambush the guy in this manner. Obviously they had spent time investigating and following this woman, and carefully made sure that she didn’t know she was under investigation. So why did they feel the need to pull such a shocking tactic on someone who wasn’t even a suspect? A reasonable person would try to run in that situation. There are certainly law-abiding citizens in this country who would have been returning fire, and if they believed themselves to be under attack they would have every right to do so.

The bottom line is the police instigated this and their tactics were depraved, reckless, and completely unnecessary. A reasonable person could anticipate that if they approached a car with weapons drawn, that the occupant of the car was likely to react the way that the reverend did. Because of this I believe that the officers knowingly placed this man’s life in danger and have committed manslaughter.

This is murder. It was caused by very bad judgment on the officers part due to reckless arrogance, by way of plain clothes and an escalde and im sure a demeanor to go with it as .

I would have done the exact same thing as the pastor except I wouldn’t have stopped. As soon as I saw those thugs jump out with guns AT A GAS STATION! meaning they must have been nuts and meaning to kill me the only thing I would have thought was killing them first with my car!!, as only thugs jump out of a vehicle like with guns while the drug dealer lady is in his car that he was probably trying to share Christianity with. Im sure his ac was running inside the car if the windows were up. Im pissed the officers are on admin paid leave.

If im at home cleaning my fire arm and Im dumb enough to not make sure its unloaded first and it goes off and hits my friend killing him. I will be charged with murder. Those cops did worse!!
I will keep up with this it to see how it turns out.

This im a cop and you will respect my authority shit needs to go. They are to protect and SERVE the tax payers!!!