http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/09/15/2621871/police-fatally-shoot-unarmed-man/

Officer Randall Kerrick, 27, of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) in North Carolina is facing charges of voluntary manslaughter after fatally shooting Jonathan Ferrell, 24, a former Florida A&M football player who had apparently been seeking help after surviving a major car crash early Saturday morning.

CMPD officials called the shooting “excessive.” “Our investigation has shown that Officer Kerrick did not have a lawful right to discharge his weapon during this encounter,” said CMPD Chief Rodney Monroe in a statement. “It’s with heavy hearts and significant regrets it’s come to this… Our hearts go out to the Ferrell family and many members of the CMPD family. This is never something easy.”

The Charlotte Observer reports that the car crash was so severe that Ferrell likely had to “pull himself out” of the wreckage. He then walked to the nearest house, about a half mile away, to seek assistance. But the local resident whose home Ferrell arrived at was frightened that he was attempting to burglarize her after not recognizing him.

The resident then made a 911 call and three officers arrived at the scene. According to police accounts, Ferrell, who is African-American, acted “aggressively” and charged towards the officers. Officer Thornell Little of the Hickory Grove division of the CMPD responded with an unsuccessful attempt to fire his Taser at Ferrell. Police say that when Ferrell continued to charge toward the police, 27-year-old officer Randall Kerrick discharged his weapon several times, eventually killing Ferrell.

Monroe said that he did not believe Ferrell had threatened the woman who placed the 911 call, and that Kerrick’s use of excess force was unwarranted, according to the Charlotte Observer. No signs of alcohol were found at the scene of the wreckage, although officials said an official toxicology report will take weeks.

While the FBI keeps detailed information on the numbers and types of crimes that are committed throughout the United States, there is no comprehensive tracking mechanism for police shootings. FBI spokespeople have said there is no mandate for them to keep such statistics and that it would take an act of Congress in order to establish a database. Congress, so far, has refused to ask for one.

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A liberal friend posted this in response to the previous article:


who would guess this was in the south?
Ignorant Racist HOO-HAs

"may have been seeking help after a car crash".. uh.. MAY?

there needs to be a database of police shootings across the U.S. so we know what part of the country is ACTUALLY safe.

I'm not condoning the officer's actions. I feel bad for everyone involved, but it really gets my goat that people will jump to conclusions like the above idiot did without knowing the facts. And he's calling people ignorant racists?!

Time will tell about the shooting victim. If he was drunk, there is a much higher chance that he was acting aggressively.

Some people just like to use the word "racist". I am not sure why but every interaction between the races does not result in some form of racist act.

"If the President does it, it's not illegal."....Nixon

Obozo is reviving racism in America along with the likes of NotsoSharpton and Jackasson, playing the race card and causing division as a once again accepted norm, and playing the race card when blaming Bush fails.

Not to mention that it pays/plays well in the press as the cause of the POTUS disapproval ratings rather than blaming his policies.



There needs to be attention brought to bear on the militarization and mounting aggression by law enforcement these days.

Police shootings are becoming too common and more usually the outcome of most interacts with law enforcement these days.

Protect and serve is a thing of the past at all levels

Exactly! How can he make the assumption that it's racism from what's in that article? Doesn't say the race of the cop. Doesn't say the race of the person in the house that called 911, although it did say "her" so it was a female who was probably scared when some dude covered in blood showed up on her doorstep in the middle of the night. The guy was probably in shock, which mimics being drunk in some cases, and she did the right thing, called the police. I'd have done the same thing whether he was black or white!

I find it hard to believe they can make a decision on the cop's actions without knowing the toxicology reports yet. The kid could have been high on PCP for all we know which caused the accident and accounts for aggressive behavior. The young cop got scared, made a decision to use deadly force instead of his tazer, but we weren't there and can't know what he saw. I feel bad for him. I know he didn't go out to that call just hoping he could shoot someone, yet the liberals will scream "trigger happy cops aim for blacks" based on this one tragic event. That's what gets me. People like my friend are quick to judge without knowing the facts. Scream racism. Scream police are just out to kill at will. Makes no sense to me.