Jonathan Price shooting: Texas officer charged with murder after black man shot dead

A white police officer has been charged with murder after the fatal shooting of a black man in a Texas town, authorities have said.

Jonathan Price was killed after Wolfe City Police Officer Shaun Lucas opened fire on Saturday night, the Texas Rangers said.

Lucas was responding to a disturbance call on Saturday night following a report of a possible fight at a convenience store.

He encountered Mr Price, 31, who was reportedly involved in the disturbance.

Mr Price "resisted in a non-threatening posture and began walking away," the Texas Rangers said.

Lucas then used a stun gun before shooting Mr Price, who was taken to a hospital and died, the statement said.

Police did not release details about the disturbance.

However, family and friends of Mr Price said on Monday that the one-time college football player was intervening in a domestic disturbance when he was shot.

Lucas, 22, was booked Monday into the Hunt County Jail on Monday night, a statement released by the Texas Department of Public Safety said.

Jail records show bail was set at $1 million. It wasn't immediately known if Lucas had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.

Lucas had been with the Wolfe City Police Department for a little less than six months when the shooting took place, according to records from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

His prior law enforcement experience had been working as a jailer with the Hunt County Sheriff's Office for about five months just before he was hired in Wolfe City.

As of last year, Wolfe City's police department had five officers and a chief of police, all of whom were white men, according to Texas Commission on Law Enforcement data.

The town about 70 miles (113 kms) northeast of Dallas has about 1,500 residents.

According to the US Census Bureau, 71 per cent of its residents are white, 14 per cent are black and 13 per cent are Hispanic.

Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt in a Facebook post: "When police arrived, I'm told, he raised his hands and attempted to explain what was going on."

"Police fired Tasers at him and when his body convulsed from the electrical current, they 'perceived a threat' and shot him to death."

After Lucas' arrest was announced, Mr Merritt posted: "This didn't happen quickly. It should (have) happened the day he murdered JP. John should still be here."

Mr Price's relatives and friends said he was a figure well-known about the closely knit community.

He played football in 2008 for Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas.

Hardin-Simmons football coach Jesse Burleson tweeted that the university "lost one of our own in a terrible situation. Jonathan Price was an awesome young man during his time with Cowboy football."

Former Major League Baseball third baseman Will Middlebrooks, who grew up with Mr Price, said on Facebook: "I'm sick. I'm heartbroken... and I'm furious."

Middlebrooks started an online fundraiser for Mr Price's family that surpassed its $50,000 goal in less than 24 hours.

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