Bondsman killed by officer laid to rest

A local bail bondsman shot and killed on the job last month was remembered Saturday at a funeral service.

A friend of Antonio Cooks family wrote on the back of their car "Bail Bondsman Antonio Cooks, gone but not 4gotten."

The writing included Cooks' job title because the family has a lot of questions about how he could have been killed trying to do his job.

Cooks' mother, Yvonne, said he was a good person.

"He wasn't out there on drugs, wasn't doing nothing but trying to earn a living for his family," Williams said.

Williams said she's upset about the situation and wants to understand what happened to Cooks. They're still waiting on answers from police about how Cooks and another bondsman were shot while trying to serve an arrest warrant at the Mayfair Village Apartments.

Investigators said Officer Jason Bailey mistook the 32-year-old bail bondsman for an armed robber. Bailey opened fire and killed Cooks and injured the second bondsman.

On Thursday, Williams said she pleaded for the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to release more information, saying she just wanted the truth.

"I just want some answers. I just want the truth. It's not going to kill you to tell the truth. If you are wrong, you're wrong," Williams said.

Bishop Edward Robinson was counseling the grieving family.

"All indications are he was out doing his job. Things do happen sometimes,' Robinson said.

The state attorney's office was investigating the case, but it may take months before its final report is complete.