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Former Hartford Officer Charged With Manslaughter in Fatal Shooting
A former Hartford police officer was charged with first-degree manslaughter Monday in the February shooting of a man experiencing a mental health crisis. The Connecticut Office of Inspector General found the officer failed to de-escalate before firing nine shots.
May 18, 7:27 PM·1m read2 sources
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A former Hartford police officer has been charged with first-degree manslaughter in the February 27 shooting of a man in mental distress. Joseph Magnano turned himself in Monday after the Connecticut Office of Inspector General concluded he did not attempt de-escalation or use non-lethal options before firing nine shots at Steven Jones.
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Jones, 55, was walking in the street holding a knife and had cut himself when his sister called 911 for help with an acute mental health crisis. Body camera footage showed three officers keeping distance and speaking calmly to Jones while Magnano arrived and immediately shouted commands before opening fire less than a minute later.
The inspector general’s report stated Jones did not pose an imminent threat to bystanders and that Magnano had space to back away.
““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.” — Connecticut Office of Inspector General report, May 18, 2026 Hartford Police Union President James Rutkauski said the inspector general rushed its findings and that Magnano was defending officers and the community. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Jones’ family, called the charges a necessary step toward accountability.”
““Stevie was in the middle of a mental health crisis, and instead of receiving the care he needed, he was shot nine times.” — Ben Crump, May 18, 2026 Jones died of his injuries on March 3. Magnano had been fired by the Hartford Police Department in March after the mayor reviewed the body camera video.”
