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Investigators look into suicide as possible motive
Court documents shed light on initial investigation into American River Courtyard homicide
Todd Wilson
Issue date: 10/30/09 Section: News
An investigator into the homicide at the American River Courtyard residence hall last week believed the suspect may have lunged at police officers with a knife in an attempt to get the officers to shoot him, according to court documents filed in the case.
Sacramento Police Department Detective Thomas Higgins wrote in an affidavit in support of a search warrant, "It has been my experience … that frequently people with suicidal thoughts will attack officers in order to cause their own death. This is referred to as 'Suicide by Cop.'"
Sacramento State student Quran Jones, the suspect in the Oct. 21 beating death of his suitemate Scott Hawkins, was shot by University Police officers after reportedly lunging at them with a knife.
Higgins, who wrote the affidavit on the evening of Oct. 21, was asking for personal items from the suite such as writings, diaries, journals, computers or other data storing devices to be included in the search warrant. Higgins wrote that he felt these types of evidence may be able to shed light on whether Jones was suicidal.
A copy of the search warrant, affidavit and list of items recovered from the crime scene was filed with the Sacramento Superior Court on Wednesday.
The affidavit also sheds light on what happened in the suite 1032 and the corridor in which the suite is located when campus police shot Jones.
According to the affidavit, American River Courtyard residence adviser Jason Molay accompanied campus police officers to the suite and gave them a pass key to open the door.
In an interview with a Sacramento police detective, Molay said a campus police officer opened the door of the suite when no one responded to officers' requests for entry, according to the affidavit.
Molay told the detective at that point he heard officers say, "Drop the knife and get on the ground," and "He's stabbing himself."
At this point another officer arrived, Molay said, and fired a pepper ball gun into the room. This was followed by the suspect, identified as Jones by Molay, exiting the room.
Molay said Jones got within one foot of the officers in the corridor before an officer fired one shot at Jones, hitting him.
According to the affidavit, Molay said Jones dropped to one knee and lunged at officers with the knife. At this point two more shots were fired hitting Jones and officers were able to subdue him.
Jones is currently recovering from his wounds at UC Davis Medical Center. He is expected to be charged with one count of homicide and one count of attempted murder of a police officer.
Willie Jones, father of Quran Jones, said in an interview with local television station KCRA Channel 3, that he spoke with his son on Saturday. Willie Jones said Quran told him at that point he couldn't feel his legs.
Search Warrant Affidavit
Todd Wilson can be reached at editor@statehornet.com.
Sacramento Police Department Detective Thomas Higgins wrote in an affidavit in support of a search warrant, "It has been my experience … that frequently people with suicidal thoughts will attack officers in order to cause their own death. This is referred to as 'Suicide by Cop.'"
Sacramento State student Quran Jones, the suspect in the Oct. 21 beating death of his suitemate Scott Hawkins, was shot by University Police officers after reportedly lunging at them with a knife.
Higgins, who wrote the affidavit on the evening of Oct. 21, was asking for personal items from the suite such as writings, diaries, journals, computers or other data storing devices to be included in the search warrant. Higgins wrote that he felt these types of evidence may be able to shed light on whether Jones was suicidal.
A copy of the search warrant, affidavit and list of items recovered from the crime scene was filed with the Sacramento Superior Court on Wednesday.
The affidavit also sheds light on what happened in the suite 1032 and the corridor in which the suite is located when campus police shot Jones.
According to the affidavit, American River Courtyard residence adviser Jason Molay accompanied campus police officers to the suite and gave them a pass key to open the door.
In an interview with a Sacramento police detective, Molay said a campus police officer opened the door of the suite when no one responded to officers' requests for entry, according to the affidavit.
Molay told the detective at that point he heard officers say, "Drop the knife and get on the ground," and "He's stabbing himself."
At this point another officer arrived, Molay said, and fired a pepper ball gun into the room. This was followed by the suspect, identified as Jones by Molay, exiting the room.
Molay said Jones got within one foot of the officers in the corridor before an officer fired one shot at Jones, hitting him.
According to the affidavit, Molay said Jones dropped to one knee and lunged at officers with the knife. At this point two more shots were fired hitting Jones and officers were able to subdue him.
Jones is currently recovering from his wounds at UC Davis Medical Center. He is expected to be charged with one count of homicide and one count of attempted murder of a police officer.
Willie Jones, father of Quran Jones, said in an interview with local television station KCRA Channel 3, that he spoke with his son on Saturday. Willie Jones said Quran told him at that point he couldn't feel his legs.
Search Warrant Affidavit
Todd Wilson can be reached at editor@statehornet.com.
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