Protests Start After Black Man Shot by Off-Duty Deputy in North Carolina

Protestors in Fayetteville, North Carolina gathered at the police station to publicly denounce the fatal shooting of a Black man killed by an off-duty sheriff’s deputy, according to the Herald Sun.

The man killed was 37-year-old Jason Walker. In the Fayetteville Police Department preliminary investigation, it stated that Walker “ran into traffic and jumped on a moving vehicle,” and that the person driving the truck was an off-duty sheriff in Cumberland County. The deputy then shot Walker and called emergency services.

The Fayetteville Police spoke further about the incident in a press conference.

From WRAL:

Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins said in a press conference Sunday that at some point the windshield wiper had been torn off the truck and used to break the windshield, although it is not clear at what point in the altercation this took place…

“The [truck’s] computer did not record any impact with any person or thing. We currently have no witnesses that anyone was hit by this truck,” said Hawkins.

Sunday, Hawkins said she had no idea if the deputy was suspended over the incident.

Although the police chief claims there are no witnesses that anyone was hit by a truck, there are people claiming to have witnessed the entire incident and have said they saw Walker be hit by the deputy sheriff’s truck, according to WRAL.

Elizabeth Ricks, however, who is a trauma nurse, claims to have watched the entire altercation unfold and tried to save Walker’s life.

“I did not see anyone in distress. The man was just walking home,” said Ricks, according to WRAL.

Ricks’ husband captured on video the events that occurred after the shooting, showing the arrival of the police and paramedics.

More from WRAL on what occurred when police arrived:

When they arrive, they did not ask the off-duty deputy to hand over any weapons. Hawkins later confirmed they do have the deputy’s weapon, but would not disclose what kind of gun it was.

Hawkins did confirm it was not the deputy’s service weapon. Bystanders in the video tell officers they heard four gunshots.

Within 15 seconds of arriving, one officer briefly checked on Walker while Ricks worked to stop the bleeding.

Hawkins said Sunday the officer did not immediately help because they allowed Ricks, a trained nurse, to continue to administer care.

Roughly one minute later, EMS crews arrive on scene and take over rendering aid.

Before the video ends, Ricks can be heard shouting at the deputy who replies that he was protecting his family.

WRAL spoke to Walker’s family, who has said that the comments made by the Fayetteville Police Chief do not reflect the man they knew.

“We’re hearing one side of the story that sounds like a person that Jason is not, and then on the other side, we’re hearing a story that makes complete sense,” he said, according to WRAL. “We have to take it one day at a time. Hopefully, the system does what’s right and gets to the bottom of this. We really just want justice for Jason.”

The investigation has now been taken over by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, according to WRAL.