The deadly police shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. was “justified,” according to a state investigation into the actions of three sheriff’s deputies. Pasquotank County District Attorney Andrew Womble addressed the controversial killing during a news conference Tuesday morning in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
“While tragic, the shooting of Mr. Brown was justified due to his actions.”
The three deputies will not be face criminal charges for their actions.
DA Womble says none of the deputies involved in the fatal shooting of Andrew Brown Jr would be criminally charged: "As tragic as this incident is with the loss of life, the deputies on the scene were nonetheless justified in defending themselves from death or great bodily injury" pic.twitter.com/mxwJngAzJA
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 18, 2021
DA Womble seemed defensive at times as he was questioned by members of the media. The results of the investigation were met with outrage by many on social media, and Bakari Sellers, an attorney for the Brown family, also questioned the findings of the DA’s office.
#AndrewBrown was not using his vehicle as a weapon. The “contact” was minimal at best & initiated by officers.
He was beyond law enforcement when multiple shots were fired, including kill shot to the back of head.
4 officers didn’t shoot, didn’t feel life was in danger.
— Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) May 18, 2021
On April 21st, Brown was shot and killed while deputies were in the process of executing a search warrant. Witnesses say Brown was shot while attempting to drive away. There remain many unanswered questions about the incident, including how many times Brown was shot. Womble attempted to fill in some of the blanks today from the point of view of the police and the DA’s office. Womble said Brown was a drug dealer and on the day of the shooting, officers were looking to arrest Brown for allegedly selling heroin laced with fentanyl. Womble says when they showed up for the arrest, Brown was in his car and drove directly at a deputy.
DA details the sequence of shooting.
Womble said Brown backed up and then moved forward toward deputies.
"At this moment, Brown was driving directly toward" a deputy in front of him. Womble said officers shouted at Brown to stop.#AndrewBrownJr #AndrewBrown pic.twitter.com/HTiP9coQBB
— The News & Observer (@newsobserver) May 18, 2021
Womble also disputes accounts that Brown was shot in the back, but rather says the first bullet entered the front windshield of the car. He says additional shots were fired and some did enter the rear passenger door and window.
Two questions by the press to the DA re: #AndrewBrown death about how Brown’s car was turned away from the police officer, so why did they shoot, went unanswered/deflected.
— Laffy (@GottaLaff) May 18, 2021
This likely won’t do much to calm family who has seen some of the police bodycam video and have said that it shows an “execution.” (watch above via NBC News) Some of that bodycam video was played during the news conference today.
BREAKING: A North Carolina district attorney says the shooting of Andrew Brown Jr., a Black man killed by deputies, was justified. Lawyers for Brown's family says body camera footage shows Brown was not armed and that he didn't pose a threat to deputies. https://t.co/L9mG09Pmvq
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 18, 2021