Posted on 08/22/2016 10:56:55 AM PDT by No One Special
Charlotte, NC — A community and family is mourning the loss of Daniel Kevin Harris, whose life was taken this week by a State Trooper who apparently fears sign language. Harris, who is deaf and mute, was gunned down in front of his house.
According to police, trooper Jermaine Saunders attempted to pull Harris over around 6:14 p.m. on Thursday. For an unknown reason, Harris did not stop and, instead, drove to his home.
During the pursuit, both cars became damaged and eventually came to a stop near Harris’ home.
“I was here in my driveway and I saw the highway patrol car come through and it was smoking really bad,” said neighbor Mark Barringer. “About 10 seconds later, I heard one gunshot.”
According to WCNC, Barringer says when he went to take a closer look, he saw Harris in the middle of the street. He died just a few feet from his front door. Several neighbors have put flowers near where Harris took his final breaths.
“It was surreal, you just don’t expect to see something like that,” said Barringer. “When the gunshot went off, it was scary.”
According to police, detectives say Saunders and Harris got into “an encounter” before the officer killed him. However, according to neighbors, as soon as Harris got out of his vehicle, Saunders fired.
“While on Seven Oaks Drive, the driver exited his vehicle and an encounter took place between the driver and the trooper causing a shot to be fired,” according to a statement from the State Highway Patrol.
Detectives say Harris was trying to communicate with the trooper using sign language before he was killed.
Harris died on the scene. He was 28-years-old.
• Ad-div-empty: id contentad130998 • Ad-div: id div-gpt-ad-1470255094958-0 “They should’ve deescalated and been trained to realize that this is an entirely different situation, you’re pulling someone over who is deaf, they are handicapped,” said Barringer. “To me, what happened is totally unacceptable.”
Neighbor Ryan Russell said he’d see the man out in the neighborhood speaking in sign language with his family. “It seemed like a very peaceful family,” Russell told WBTV. “These things are always heartbreaking.”
Audria Bridges, special agent in charge of the SBI office that covers the Charlotte region, said Saunders has been placed on administrative leave and an investigation is underway.
“The SBI is in the process of obtaining all available dash cam or body camera video present on the scene from the State Highway Patrol as well as Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, as CMPD responded to the scene immediately after the shooting,” Bridges said.
According to the Charlotte Observer, public records show an interpreter provided sign language for Harris at a court hearing in Florida in 2010. At the hearing, he was found not guilty of misdemeanor larceny and had a charge of misdemeanor resisting property recovery dismissed, records show.
Harris was found guilty of resisting an officer in 2010 when he lived in Connecticut, according to public records. However, this resisting charge was likely due to the fact that Harris could not hear the officer’s commands.
In the land of the free, a deaf man suspected of driving too fast can be killed in cold blood. Unfortunately, as we’ve shown time and again, this type of mistreatment and attacks on the deaf by police are all too common.
Jermaine sounds like a WOMAN’S name. Black female officer?
I didn’t realize they were either. Immediately, what comes to mind is the train whistle or the fire engines’ siren, or the blowout of your rear tire.
I don’t.
Yeah, he looks really scary, doesn’t he? Well, I suppose all that matters is that Trooper Saunders went home alive at the end of his shift.
/s
If he’d collided with a police car and refused to stop, I can see why the officer would have drawn on him, but I don’t see reason to have shot him on the basis of this report.
Why? He won't face any significant consequences, and most important of all he got to go home to his family at night.
Jermaine Jackson was one of the Jackson Five and Michael’s older brother.
In the land of the free, a deaf man suspected of driving too fast can be killed in cold blood.
...
That’s jumping to conclusions, but when you’re trying to whip up emotions against the police I suppose it’s allowed.
What...wait...he’s white?
Move on...nothing to see here....
/sarc
Seriously, what a tragedy for the family.
Sounds like there is a lot not being said......
Michael Jackson’s brother, one of the Jackson Five, is named Jermaine
So being deaf is no excuse for not stopping. He also should have stayed in his car, especially if he somehow damaged the trooper’s car.
I would like to know if he was hearing impaired or completely deaf. I think it makes a big difference.
I watch COPS all the time. Although they show most officers trying to deescalate a situation with nice talk while the suspects are in handcuffs, I often see the cops jump too soon. Just saw a cooperative black jay-walker thrown to the ground. My Wife and I thought it outrageous.
I believe the building racial tensions (thx Obama) is causing many LEO's to react disproportionately. Good that most LEO agencies are now wearing body cameras.
That said, I support LEO's. However, I wish just once they would shoot a rioter that throws bricks at them. If one on one, the officer would have the right to fire. So why not into crowd if they have the perp in their sights? I remember when looters were shot on site. The argument from the left is the loss of property is not worth the loss of live. Do they ever consider that there may be store owner of other person in the store when they set it on fire?
Last thought: Have you ever seen the photos of the Koreans on their store rooftops with rifles pointing down at mob during the Los Angeles riots? Not one of the stores was looted. That is exactly what will happen with the current talk of BLM thugs going into the suburbs.
There will be NO street level confrontation. We will be on the roofs of our stores and homes locked and loaded. The first molotov cocktail lit and the holder is going to get what he never experienced in their ghetto uprisings. Bet on it, because I've talked to many neighbors here in Orange County. They all tell me they will face a court rather than allow these sub-humans endanger their families and livelihood.
They can kill each other in Detroit, Chicago, Philly, etc. in their self-imposed ghettos and even have the blessing of the Baltimore Mayor. They will never succeed in destroying a peaceful gun-owning suburban community.
Is this germane to the story?
Yes, I’m sure the cop was in fear of his life once they got to the man’s home. Actually, I think the man was killed as punishment for not stopping.
Move along, there's nothing to see here.
That’s a good one.
So you’re saying the cop knew the guy was deaf?
Do you have a citation for that?
Did he use a silencer?
Oh maaannnn
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