Disturbing safety movies have proven for the primary time how a 29-year-old man in police custody doused himself in hand sanitizer earlier than bursting into flames when he was tasered by cops – earlier than the officers run away as he burns, leaving him clawing at his again and head as he tries to extinguish the fireplace.
Jason Jones, from Catskill, died on December 15 at Clark Burn Middle at SUNY Upstate Medical College Hospital in Syracuse after spending six weeks in a medically induced coma.
Simply days later, AG James’ workplace launched an investigation into Jones’ loss of life following his interplay with officers on the Catskill Police Division on October 30. On Friday, AG Letitia James’s workplace launched the footage displaying the chain of occasions that led to Jones’s loss of life.
Jones’s legal professional has not disclosed why he had ended up in police custody that day.
The New York Legal professional Basic’s Workplace on Friday launched graphic safety video displaying Jason Jones, 29, bursting into flames whereas within the custody of Catskill police
Jones, 29, died on December 15 after spending six weeks in a medically induced coma
The primary video from contained in the police station exhibits Jones trying unsteady on his ft as he paces across the foyer and gesticulates.
The tall, stout younger man seems visibly agitated as he sways backward and forward. He has some phrases with two officers, however it’s unknown what’s being stated as a result of the recording has no audio.
AG Letitia James has launched an investigation into Jones’ loss of life following his confrontation with the police
The 30-minute video culminates with Jones pulling off his button-down shirt and ripping aside a black t-shirt, exposing his bare torso. He additionally removes his sneakers and sock as a trio of cops look on.
A big plastic hand sanitizer container is seen standing on a folding desk within the foyer inside Jones’ attain.
The second video begins with Jones grabbing the bottle of sanitizer and pouring the liquid throughout his head and higher physique.
One of many officer goals his Taser at Jones and fires electrodes, which make contact with the the antiseptic-soaked man, who’s simply off digital camera at that second.
Seconds later, there’s a flash of sunshine, and Jones comes into view on hearth.
He collapses to the ground, with flames engulfing his head, chest and higher again. The officers run out of the room, leaving Jones writhing in agony and desperately making an attempt to place out the conflagration consuming his pores and skin along with his personal arms.
The primary of two movies launched by the AG exhibits an agitated Jones ripping off his garments within the foyer of the Catskill Police Division on October 30, 2021. It is nonetheless unclear why Jones was there that day
Jones is seen within the second video grabbing a big bottle of hand sanitizer as cops look on
He doused his head and torso with the extremely flammable liquid because the officers stood by
One of many cops, seen on the suitable, aimed his Taser on the antiseptic-soaked Jones and fired electrodes into his physique
Seconds later, there’s a flash of sunshine and Jones turns into engulfed in flames
One of many officers friends at Jones from across the nook however doesn’t come close to him to assist.
The cop who shot Jones with the Taser walks again into the foyer and tries to offer help, however then grabs his arm, as if making an attempt to place him in handcuffs.
One other particular person, whose identification is unknown and whose face is deliberately blurred within the video, enters the foyer and wraps their arms round Jones to consolation him.
Jones, whose scorched pores and skin seems to be violently pink, seems to be in misery as he talks at size to the police.
Finally, a girl wheels a gurney into the foyer and Jones is taken away in handcuffs. He seems aware and alert at the moment.
Six weeks later, Jones, who was on hearth for about 25 seconds, was taken off life assist.
Within the video, the officers are seen working away as Jones rolls round on the ground
An officer friends at Jones, along with his head engulfed in flames, from across the nook however makes no try to assist, because it seems within the video
After Jones places out the flames along with his personal arms, many minutes cross earlier than medical assist arrives
Jones was taken off life assist six weeks after the incident. He had been a standout observe and basketball athlete at Catskill Excessive College greater than a decade in the past
Police Chief Dave Darling stated officers in Catskill, about 33 miles south of Albany, had been aware of Jones from earlier encounters and had been probably afraid he was going to harm himself.
The police chief described the state of affairs as ‘horrible’ and stated it was beneath investigation by the Greene County district legal professional’s workplace.
After Jones’ loss of life, the investigation was taken over by AG James’ Workplace of Particular Investigation, which ‘assesses each incident reported to it the place a police officer or a peace officer, together with a corrections officer, might have triggered the loss of life of an individual, by an act or omission.’
Jones had been a standout observe and basketball athlete at Catskill Excessive College greater than a decade in the past, The Occasions Union reported.