Suspect in Munchbar shooting a 19-year-old with familiar rap sheet

BY Chris Sullivan  on December 26, 2012 @ 5:43 am (Updated: 5:36 am - 1/3/13 )

jamairjones_tubamankiller_munchbarsuspect.jpg
The suspect in the Munchbar shooting is 19-year-old Ja'mari Jones. He's accused of firing at least five shots inside the packed bar, killing one man, 30, and injuring another. (Photo courtesy Bellevue Police) | Zoom
The man suspected of opening fire inside a packed Bellevue bar Sunday night is one of the three teens convicted of killing Seattle street musician Ed "Tuba Man" McMichael in 2008.

The suspect in the Munchbar shooting is 19-year-old Ja'mari Jones. He's accused of firing at least five shots inside the packed bar, killing one man, 30, and injuring another.

Jones is one of the three teens who beat Ed "Tuba Man" McMichael to death outside Seattle Center in 2008.

Jones, Billy Chambers and Kenneth Kelly all served about 36 weeks in juvenile detention for the murder.

That was all the time prosecutors could get because no witnesses to the beating came forward. The lack of time has always bothered McMichael's family.

"I didn't get that feeling that they were remorseful for what they had done," Kelsey McMichael, brother of Ed told KING 5 Tuesday.

Since Tuba Man's murder, the three teens have all continued to get into trouble.

Kelly and Chambers have faced weapons charges and been in jail for assault. Now Jones is accused of killing a man Sunday night in Bellevue.

"We always thought the punishment they received for killing my brother was much too light," McMichael previously told KIRO Radio's Dori Monson.

Now another family is going through what his did, allegedly at the hands of one of the same men. Said Kelsey, "Now they're showing their true colors. They need to be punished.

Ja'Mari Jones is considered armed and dangerous.

Police don't know how the 19-year-old got into the bar Sunday night, and they don't know how he got his hands on a gun.

Jones is believed to be driving a white Nissan Maxima, Washington license plate AHZ1672. Police urge the public to not contact Jones, but if they see him, call 911.

Chris Sullivan, KIRO Radio Reporter
Chris loves the rush of covering breaking news and works hard to try to make sense of it all while telling stories about real people in extraordinary circumstances.
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Comments (52)


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  • low_tech wrote...
    Bellevue police ...
    December 26, 2012 5:31 am
    probably get as much or the same results as the Sky Metalwala case.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Theodorethegreat wrote...
    Sky Metalwala ???
    December 26, 2012 3:56 pm
    They just need to make her tell them where she dumped the body.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • imanegro wrote...
    low_tech
    December 26, 2012 5:55 am
    Could you maybe try a coherent sentence? What you talking about?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Commonsensical wrote...
    What are the odds....
    December 26, 2012 6:11 am
    ... that this BOY grew up in a fatherless home? Where are the black men of courage that will stand and say "not my son! Not one more generation!" ?!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • vanderleun wrote...
    Where? Busy being turned off
    December 26, 2012 8:03 am
    by the mothers.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • JMinIssaquah wrote...
    NRA answer to this:
    December 26, 2012 7:00 am
    Let me guess, NRA answer to this problem is to "arm" all of the bars, pubs and any other place which serves alcohol...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Shplunker wrote...
    JM...just another...
    December 26, 2012 7:09 am
    retarded anti-gun post. Again you want to divert from the real problem - which is clearly rap music.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    JM
    December 26, 2012 7:18 am
    You are a TOOL. This is the perfect example of the LIBERAL Naany state feel-good BS when it comes to handling CRIMINALS! This kid should have already been in jail. Period. He beat a beat a defensless special needs man to death a couple years ago. But, idtots like JM in Issaquah, your typical jackass Liberal, blames guns instead of CRIMINALS.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • vanderleun wrote...
    Oh puh-lease do not
    December 26, 2012 8:04 am
    eat large chunks of mentalwaste in public. It scares the horses and leaves a bad smell on your breath JM.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dadling wrote...
    Are you nuts or just plain delusional??
    December 26, 2012 9:23 am
    Where do you see the NRA in this case? Your lack of common sense and logic exposes your ignorance for all to see.....it is better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.... You are a perfect example of this profound statement !!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Howdy wrote...
    "Where do you see the NRA in this case?"
    December 26, 2012 1:11 pm
    He (she?)is guessing. Usually when you say "I guess" it is followed by an idiotic statement. I do it a lot.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ohyea53 wrote...
    Police urge the public to not contact Jones, but if they see him, call 911
    December 26, 2012 7:26 am
    BULLLLLLLLL!!!!! Double Tap Center Mass.... End of Story!!!!!!!!!!!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Legion wrote...
    Police don't know how the 19-year-old got into the bar Sunday night, and they don't know how he got his hands on a gun.
    December 26, 2012 10:26 am
    They don't know how he got his hands on a gun. Really. He got away with murder once, so why WOULDN'T he be able to get his hands on a gun? Human stupidity is mindboggling here. I'm with ohyeah53 on this one. Although I'd make it a Mozambique drill just to be sure. And like a few others have said, JM you're an idiot. I could eat a can of alphabet soup and Sh__ a better argument than what you wrote. Your stupidity has exhausted me to the point of not even wanting to touch your comment. Congratulations.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Theodorethegreat wrote...
    Yup...
    December 26, 2012 3:52 pm
    But add at third, center of forehead.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • R L M 456 wrote...
    I thought that the Drinking age in Bellevue was 21
    December 26, 2012 7:51 am
    Oh thats right

    Bellevue does not need to follow any laws unless they want to

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rastaj wrote...
    Bellevue is above the law....
    December 26, 2012 1:19 pm
    You can be a blond Russian trophy wife, have your son disappear and not even answer any questions. You can get beat within inches of your life and never know who did it because the Bellevue police are incompetent. Why not? They don't even set good examples, instead they get drunk and fight at sausage fest football games and keep their jobs......Most crimes here just get swept under the rug. God forbid, Bellevue gets a bad name for itself.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ratrustle wrote...
    I think many...
    December 26, 2012 8:04 am
    saw this coming. It's really sad that we didn't take care of the flaws in the system when these kids killed the Tuba Man. When this situation happens again and the "next" Tuba Man dies senselessly, what are we going to do? Put those kids in Juvenile detention too? What really needs to happen is a "Tuba Man" law so that we have the tool to put these kids where they belong -- in jail. I know we're going to read this same story with different names way too many times! And, neither the NRA or the gun are to blame here. These kids kicked the crap out of the Tuba Man and then "grew up" to a life of violent crime, who didn't see this coming?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shark75 wrote...
    JMinIssaquah wrote...
    December 26, 2012 8:09 am
    Say, this little turd angel was prohibited from owning a gun by GUN LAWS. Where did he get his gat? How come he didnt check it at the door? Answer that questions stupid...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • don over taxed wrote...
    "Don't know how he got his hands on a gun"
    December 26, 2012 8:20 am
    Just put a ban on guns and this misguided young man would not be able to shoot amyone.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cw1997 wrote...
    Seriously
    December 26, 2012 10:02 am
    So you think this piece of dung could not find one on the street, what part of bizarro world do you live in? Got to be Seattle.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • don over taxed wrote...
    cw1997
    December 26, 2012 10:14 am
    I'm just representing the position of our mayor and council...this poor boy is just not understood.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    Democrats Love Bans
    December 26, 2012 10:34 am
    Democrat's love talking points. Bans wont do the trick , it's a liberal "feel good NOW WE HAVE DONE SOMETHING" political stunt.It's the culture and the system that will not hold criminals accountable.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • low_tech wrote...
    imanegro
    December 26, 2012 8:25 am
    Sorry, I don't speak ebonics!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • imanegro wrote...
    low_tech #2
    December 26, 2012 6:26 pm
    Well done, sir!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }