Posted on 09/15/2013 3:05:55 PM PDT by nickcarraway
North Carolina's Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department says Jonathan A. Ferrell, 24, may have been seeking assistance after a car crash. But when he ran toward officers, the former Florida A&M University football player was killed.
An unarmed North Carolina man who was shot and killed by police while running toward an officer may have only been seeking help after surviving a car crash.
Jonathan A. Ferrell, 24, was shot multiple times when authorities say he surprised a trio of police officers with Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department by running toward them around 2 a.m. Saturday.
Officer Randall Kerrick, 27, reacted by firing his weapon with "excessive" and "unlawful" force, his department now believes, killing the former Florida A&M University football player who recently moved to the area.
"(Ferrell) immediately charged towards the three officers, one in particular. That officer fired his weapon several times, striking the individual multiple times," Police Chief Rodney Monroe said in a press conference.
Use of a stun gun was attempted by an officer prior to the shooting according to police but its discharge was "unsuccessful."
Officer Randall Kerrick, 27, turned himself in Saturday just after a warrant was signed for his arrest on voluntary manslaughter charges.
Ferrell was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say Ferrell's description matched one given by a woman who moments earlier called 911 reporting a man as wildly knocking on her front door and attempting to break in. Officers now believe this man described as resembling Ferrell may have just been trying to get help.
A mangled vehicle believed to have belonged to Ferrell was later discovered in some nearby woods.
"We believe that vehicle belonged to the individual who was shot. It's quite possible he was seeking assistance. Based on his accident, it was a pretty serious accident," said Monroe.
Police say Jonathan A. Ferrell's description matched one given by a woman who moments earlier called 911 to report a man as wildly knocking on her front door, pictured. Police now believe he only wanted help. WSOCTV.COM
Police say Jonathan A. Ferrell's description matched one given by a woman who moments earlier called 911 to report a man as wildly knocking on her front door, pictured. Police now believe he only wanted help.
WBTV reported the driver of that vehicle had to climb out the back window to escape due to the severity of the crash.
A warrant was signed for Kerrick's arrest for voluntary manslaughter just before he turned himself in Saturday.
"The evidence revealed that Mr. Ferrell did advance on Officer Kerrick and the investigation showed that the subsequent shooting of Mr. Ferrell was excessive," police said in a statement issued late Saturday. "Our investigation has shown that Officer Kerrick did not have a lawful right to discharge his weapon during this encounter."
The two-year police veteran, who joined the force in April 2011, the Charlotte Observer reports, is currently in police custody.
Monroe described him as "devastated" by the death when contacted by WSOC-TV. Not far from the scene of the shooting police discovered a wrecked vehicle, crashed in the woods. They now believe it may have been driven by Ferrell and he escaped seeking help. WSOCTV.COM
Not far from the scene of the shooting police discovered a wrecked vehicle, crashed in the woods. They now believe it may have been driven by Ferrell and he escaped seeking help.
"He is pretty shook up," he said.
The two officers with Kerrick at the time of the shooting are currently on paid administrative leave, which is a routine procedure following a shooting involving an officer, according to the department.
"My hearts goes out to the Ferrell family, quite naturally, as well as the main members of the CMPD family. This is never something easy to deal with, never something easy for us to quite grasp, but we are going to rise form this as we have from other things," said Monroe.
FAMU interim athletic director Michael Smith confirmed to the Associated Press Sunday that Ferrell played the safety position for the Rattlers in 2009-10.
Yes, when I first saw the picture, I immediately thought about Deliverance.
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