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.
More Local News
Top Stories
MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments (52)


  • Add A Comment

  • EskieMom wrote...
    I would like to know
    December 26, 2012 8:35 am
    Who the judges are who keep giving light sentences or a slap on the wrist to these habitual young criminals! Vote 'em out!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normal Human wrote...
    Bellevue Square? I Thought It Was an UPSCALE Establishment!
    December 26, 2012 8:57 am
    What the heck is Bellevue Square doing with a nightclub that attracts and admits an underage murderous thug from Seattle? Perhaps the owners need to evict "Muchbar" and replace it with something that would attract a classier customer base. I'm not sure what kind of music the Munchbar plays, but it seems like certain types of music attract certain types of customers. I never read about clubs that feature classic rock being hit with violence. What about country music venues? Is the Munchbar a hip-hop club? Or were they featuring hip-hop that night? I know club owners and promoters tred on thin ice between making money and giving their patrons a good time and keeping the trouble away from their doors. But certain types of music seem to draw the worst of the worst inside their doors. The owners of Munchbar have a lot of explaining to do. And the City of Bellevue needs to CRACK down on venues that do not carefully screen who gets in their doors. If something violent happens inside or within 25 feet of their door, crack down, give a fine and and a warning. If it happens again. You're CLOSED down for good.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BikeNazi wrote...
    I would like to know
    December 26, 2012 9:15 am
    Where was the good guy with the gun to stop the bad guy with the gun? Once again the concealed weapon carriers FAILED to protect and save anyone. I'm still waiting to hear about the hero of the shootout who saves the day.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Lazy Eye wrote...
    @bikenazi
    December 26, 2012 10:15 am
    I HOPE you are just playing the part of an idiot. The "good guys", the concealed carry folks, the law abiding citizens know and respect when and where they can carry. Last I checked, bars and nightclubs were off limits to concealed carry. There would have been no hero in this case. Nice try though to steer this away from the root of the problem here though. The turd that did the shooting should have been flushed long ago. This is the result of years of the "hug-a-thug" mentality in this region. When are we going to wake up and stop treating these criminals as "victims who need to be rehabilitated". Bad wiring is bad wiring. No way this punk should have been on the streets. The justice system is only partly to blame. Wanna know where the majority blame lies? If you are a liberal/progressive, my guess is that you need look no further than your closest mirror.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Shplunker wrote...
    Lazy...
    December 26, 2012 1:08 pm
    Unfortunately, BikeIdiot isn't just playing the part of the village idiot, he is the poster child for the village idiots.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CldWtrSrf wrote...
    You are a REAL idiot BikeNazi...
    December 26, 2012 10:31 am
    As evident from your name. Weapons aren't allowed in bars....so once again, explain to me how all your gun laws/bans work again. All they have done with banning guns in certain places is create victim disarmament zones. Explain to me how your gun laws disarming people who are law abiding, following your stupid laws, protect us? Explain to me again how those laws stop criminals? Dummy. Maybe if it wasn't a victim disarmament zone somebody could have stopped him. So, being a typical Liberal or Republican or whatever you are, you all have created a problem, then offer a solution that isn't a solution but fits into you sinister motives. See "Hegelian Dialectic" i.e. Problem, Action, Solution...used for Sinister Motives and furtherance of Tyranny, like the "Patriot" Act, NDAA, War on Terror, TSA....you are a SCUMBAG so called "Liberal". All you ninnies running around calling yourselves Liberals are nothing more than Tyrannical Authoritarians. NEWS FLASH for all you limp wristed sissies...Thomas Jefferson and most of the Founders were LIBERALS...and we all know how much you despise him and hate everything they stood for. You have just co-opted the title Liberal and are using it for cover because you are all really AUTHORITARIAN FASCIST TYRANNICAL TRAITORS to America!!! SCUM of the Country. Move to England where you will fit right in, or even better France you KOOK.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • po_guy wrote...
    IS this the only story you have read?
    December 26, 2012 1:34 pm
    There have been PLENTY of good citizens who have done just that...pulled their piece and stopped sensless killings. Doa google search and see what comes up. If you REALLY care...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • 49er4Life wrote...
    Who else
    December 26, 2012 9:40 am
    Is disturbed by them only getting 36 weeks?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CldWtrSrf wrote...
    Tell me again how gun
    December 26, 2012 10:08 am
    Control works? #1: This kid wasn't supposed to have a firearm because he KILLED somebody. 2: This kid wasn't supposed to have a handgun because he is under 21 years of age. So please, tell me again Liberals, how does gun control work again? Criminals DON'T care about your laws, duh! So with more and more gun control all you are doing is punishing us law abiding citizens because the criminals aren't going to pay attention anyway. Then there is the more sinister line of thought as to Liberals and these days a lot of "Republicans" wanting more gun control and outright gun confiscation. That would be complete tyranny and enslavement of Americans, which has long been under way. Just can't quite be finished until they get all the guns. Of course I'm just a tinfoil hat wearer though right?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dori monson fan wrote...
    hold on this can't be right
    December 26, 2012 10:27 am
    gun laws prohibit 19 year olds from having guns. and gun laws also say you can't bring a gun into a bar. and gun laws say if you are on probation for a previous murder you can't gave a gun. would more gun laws stop the violence? if we had more gun laws Ja'Mari would just return to his roots and go back to kicking people to death. and if he did is being kicked to death slowly an improvement over being shot to death quickly?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • RnD_Fan wrote...
    Perfect example that we don't need more laws.
    December 26, 2012 10:38 am
    Double Murder (now):

    Less than 21, in a bar where you need to be 21. (broke the law)

    Less than 21, with a handgun (broke the law)

    Convicted Felon with a handgun (broke the law)

    In a bar, where alcohol is served, with a gun (broke the law)

    Why were there no Law Abiding Citizens there with a gun to stop him?

    Because Gun Laws are only followed by Law Abiding Citizens:

    It is illegal to be in an establishment that serves alcohol with a gun!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cw1997 wrote...
    Gun Free Zone
    December 26, 2012 12:17 pm
    SO how's that working you you Liberals and DAVE?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Lonestar wrote...
    Apparently he is doing quite well
    December 26, 2012 10:41 am
    Hanging out in trendy nightclubs, driving a Maxima. He must have learned a useful trade in Juvey.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Skykomish2 wrote...
    Liberal vs Conservative
    December 26, 2012 11:04 am
    I am a Liberal, yet I own handguns and rifles. I have a legal right to carry with my Concealed Weapons Permit in my wallet. Yet I'm labeled negatively by being a Liberal?. Sorry people, its not a Liberal/Conservative issue. Its a sanity issue. When we let idiots out after commiting a capital crime, thats just plain wrong. Strengthen the State ability to throw the key away with habitual criminals and those that commit heinous crimes. Gun-free zones only stop law-abiding citizens. Criminals will still carry, and they'll be safe since "the good guys" will leave their weapons elsewhere. We don't need more laws against guns. We need more serious punishment of those that break laws.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    Liberal/Conservative
    December 26, 2012 12:04 pm
    Liberal's think the Constitution is a living breathing (can be anything really) Document ..A Conservative tends to read the Constitution literally ..no look at how the Dems view the Second Amendment.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wsshirling wrote...
    didn't use a gun to kill tuba man
    December 26, 2012 11:05 am
    Didn't this punk kill the tuba man by beating and kicking him to death? So much for the liberal view that making guns illegal will solve the problem. How many more innocent people need to be murdered by this guy before he is put away for good?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }