District Attorney Andrew Womble of North Carolina's Pasquotank County announced Tuesday morning that deputies involved in the April 21 shooting death of Andrew Brown Jr. in Elizabeth City, N.C. would not be charged, saying the death "while tragic, was justified" following an inquiry by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
District Attorney Andrew Womble says the police-killing of Andrew Brown Jr. was “justified.” pic.twitter.com/izfxwB3CnN
— The Recount (@therecount) May 18, 2021
Brown was shot and killed by sheriff's deputies who were attempting to execute a drug warrant when the situation became confrontational. Brown attempted to, as Matt reported, run over deputies in a vehicle while he attempted to flee, a situation state investigators found caused deputies to "reasonably believe it was necessary to use deadly force to protect themselves and others."
DA Womble just played the 4 body camera videos that captured the death of Andrew Brown Jr. @WAVY_News pic.twitter.com/tMLYVIuLZy
— Kayla Gaskins (@KaylaGaskinsTV) May 18, 2021
DA Womble “no deputies with be criminally charged” for death of Andrew Brown Jr. saying decision made from looking at facts and law and not public opinion @WAVY_News
— Kayla Gaskins (@KaylaGaskinsTV) May 18, 2021
In the wake of the DA's announcement that deputies would not face charges, MSNBC's Joy Reid chimed in, as did CNN's Keith Boykin and other media figures. CNN's Bakari Sellers went so far as to say that Brown "was not using his vehicle as a weapon" and that when the car made contact with deputies it was "minimal."
Just sitting here at home watching American police descend into a residential neighborhood, armed up like a military unit like it’s a war zone and blow a man away in his car ... to affect a ... drugs arrest. And the D.A. is saying this is all fine. I feel sick. #AndrewBrown
— Joy-Ann ??Reid (@JoyAnnReid) May 18, 2021
So they’re having a whole press conference just to attack a dead man (Andrew Brown) and vindicate the people who killed him.
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) May 18, 2021
If the deputies were justified in shooting Andrew Brown (in the back of the head) then why has the public not been allowed to see the video?
— jelani cobb (@jelani9) May 18, 2021
#AndrewBrown was not using his vehicle as a weapon. The “contact” was minimal at best & initiated by officers.
— Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) May 18, 2021
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.
Julio reported from the ground in Elizabeth City following the shooting in April as tensions rose, outside groups made their way into town, and residents took action to safeguard their community:
With a population of just under 20,000 people, the small town has been thrust into the national spotlight as police actions increasingly become the subject of controversy.
At a press conference outside the Pasquotank County Sheriff's building, Brown's family and their legal team, led by attorney Benjamin Crump, released their own autopsy report. The report states Brown was hit with gunfire five times, four times in his arm while his hands were on the steering wheel, but said those wounds were not fatal. They said the shot that killed Brown was when a round hit the back of his head as he attempted to drive away.
Even with the short amount of footage made available to them, Brown's family and defense team have called his death an "execution" and "assassination."
The press conference was heated with the arrival of members of the Black Panther Party from Washington, D.C. Their leader, wearing captain bars, heckled Crump, shouting the "streets will get justice," not lawyers. Others in the crowd shouted for the arrest of the deputy who killed Brown. In the meantime, the only thing locals in Elizabeth City can do is hold their breath. While the previous nights have had peaceful but noisy marches at night, there is concern that riots could break out at any moment.