The North Carolina deputies who shot and killed Andrew Brown, Jr. as he drove away from them as they tried to serve an arrest warrant were justified in their use of force, Pasquotank County District Attorney announced Tuesday, CNN reports.
District Attorney R. Andrew Womble said that Brown attempted to strike two of the officers with his vehicle as he fled the scene. Brown was struck by five bullets, including one in the back of the head. Witnesses said his car was “riddled” with bullet holes.
Womble showed 34 seconds of police bodycam footage of the shooting, showing Brown in the car trying to flee the officers. He does not strike any of them as he maneuvers his vehicles out of a streetside parking spot. As he turns the car into the street, two officers are positioned about 10 to 15 feet in front of his car, when he begins to drive. One officer does not move as Brown tried to drive away, leaving himself in the path of the car, which was directed at the road when police start shooting.
The shooting happened in Elizabeth City, NC. Three officers fired their weapons during the homicide: Investigator Daniel Meads, Deputy Robert Morgan and Cpl. Aaron Lewellyn.
“Brown posed an immediate threat to the safety of officers and others,” Womble said.