Steven "Stevie" Jones

Feb 27

Written By M T

37 years old · Hollywood, California · May 20, 2026

Who he was

Steven "Stevie" Jones was 55 years old and a lifelong Hartford resident. He was a devoted father, a proud grandfather, a cherished brother, and a beloved uncle. His sister Audrey Jones described him at his funeral: "Stevie Jones was a wonderful man — loving, kind and compassionate. He was known throughout the neighborhood for his warmth and friendly spirit, always making others feel welcome." She added: "His smile tells a lot, and his eyes are the window to his soul." He accepted Jesus Christ as his lord and savior. He had no criminal history. He had struggled with mental health issues since childhood. His family knew him well and knew how to help him — until the day they called for that help and it cost him his life.

What happened

On the morning of February 27, 2026, Audrey Jones called 911 for an ambulance because her brother Stevie had not taken his psychiatric medication, had cut himself, and was holding a knife on Blue Hills Avenue in Hartford's North End. She told dispatchers — and later told officers on scene — not to shoot him, that he hadn't taken his medication. Four officers responded to 687 Blue Hills Avenue. Three of them — Officers Josue Charles, James Prignano, and Jackeline Torres — spent several minutes attempting to de-escalate the situation and tried a taser, which was ineffective. Body camera footage shows Jones walking slowly with a knife. Officer Prignano can be heard on Magnano's body camera saying "Mag, Mag, Mag, chill" in the moments before the shooting. Officer Joseph Magnano arrived late to the scene, did not attempt to de-escalate, and fired nine shots at Jones within seconds of arriving. Jones was struck and transported to St. Francis Hospital, where he died on March 3, 2026 — four days after the shooting. He was the second Black man experiencing a mental health crisis to be shot and killed by Hartford police in an eight-day period. Everard Walker had been shot on February 19 after a family member called for help.

Official ruling

The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Jones' death a homicide. The Connecticut Office of Inspector General reviewed the incident and on May 18, 2026, ruled that Officer Magnano was not justified in using deadly force. The OIG report stated: "The undersigned submits that Magnano, by shooting Jones, under circumstances evincing an extreme indifference to human life, recklessly engaged in conduct that created a grave risk of death to Jones, and thereby caused his death."

Contested record

The Hartford Police Union disputed the firing and the charge. Union President James Rutkauski said Magnano's actions were "justified" and "lawful," and the union said it would support the "matrix of law and due process." No additional accountability measures for the department's response protocols have been announced.

The case also raises an unresolved systemic question: Stevie Jones was the second Black man in mental health crisis shot and killed by Hartford police in eight days. NAACP Greater Hartford branch president Corrie Betts said: "The community is in uproar. You're talking about law enforcement that is here to protect and serve. They don't feel protected." Audrey Jones, reflecting on what she would do differently, said: "If I knew that they were going to shoot him and kill him, I would not have called 911 for an ambulance."

Legal process

February 27, 2026 — Steven Jones shot nine times by Officer Joseph Magnano on Blue Hills Avenue during a mental health crisis call. Three other officers on scene had been attempting to de-escalate.

March 3, 2026 — Jones dies at St. Francis Hospital. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner rules death a homicide.

March 6, 2026 — Connecticut Office of Inspector General releases four body camera videos from the incident.

March 9, 2026 — Family retains attorney Ben Crump. Press conference held at Phillips Metropolitan CME Church.

March 26, 2026 — Funeral held at The First Cathedral in Bloomfield. Rev. Al Sharpton delivers eulogy. Mayor Arulampalam attends.

March 27, 2026 — Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam fires Officer Magnano, citing his actions as "not befitting the standards we expect of our Hartford Police Department."

May 18, 2026 — Connecticut Inspector General Eliot Prescott rules shooting unjustified. Magnano charged with first-degree manslaughter. Arrested and processed.

As of May 31, 2026 — Magnano charged with first-degree manslaughter. Trial date not yet set. Magnano's attorney has not publicly responded to charges.