Police: Officer shot unarmed ex-FAMU football player Jonathan A. Ferrell 10 times
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (AP) — An unarmed man seeking help after a car crash over the weekend was shot 10 times by a police officer who is now charged in his death, investigators said Monday...
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (AP) — An unarmed man seeking help after a car crash over the weekend was shot 10 times by a police officer who is now charged in his death, investigators said Monday.
A police news release said Officer Randall Kerrick fired 12 times at 24-year-old Jonathan A. Ferrell early Saturday while responding to a breaking and entering call. Ten of the bullets hit the former Florida A&M University football player.
Kerrick was charged with voluntary manslaughter and is scheduled for a first court appearance on Tuesday.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People leaders gathered Monday to both praise police for quickly filing charges and to complain about how the shooting didn’t surprise them considering portrayals of black men in popular culture and previous instances of racially inflected violence.
Ferrell family attorney Chris Chestnut wondered Monday what role race may have played in Saturday’s shooting.
“The officer is white, Mr. Ferrell is black. This might be more of a reflection of where we are as a country,” he said.
At a news conference, family members said that Ferrell had moved to North Carolina to be with his fiancee about a year ago and was working two jobs. They said he was likely unfamiliar with the area where he was driving when he crashed early Saturday.
Ferrell’s mother said she was praying for Kerrick.
“I truly forgive him. I pray for him. And I pray that he gets off the police force,” Georgia Ferrell said. “You took a piece of my heart that I can never get back.”
Georgia Ferrell and her son Willie traveled to Charlotte from Florida along with their attorney to meet with police officials.
Police determined the shooting was excessive and charged Kerrick on Saturday. A police statement Saturday said the investigation showed “Kerrick did not have a lawful right to discharge his weapon during this encounter.”
The deadly encounter unfolded after police said the car Ferrell was driving crashed into trees off a northeast Charlotte road early Saturday. Police Chief Rodney Monroe has said the wreck was so severe that Ferrell would have had to climb out of the back window to escape.
Ferrell apparently walked about a half-mile to the nearest house and was “banging on the door viciously” to attract attention, Monroe said. Thinking it was her husband coming home late from work, the woman who lives there opened the door. When she saw Ferrell, she shut it and called police about 2:30 a.m., Monroe said.
Monroe said he didn’t think the unarmed Ferrell made threats or tried to rob the woman.
Officers responding to the breaking and entering call found Ferrell nearby. Ferrell ran toward the officers, who tried to stop him with a Taser. Police said he continued to run toward them when officer Randall Kerrick fired his gun, hitting Ferrell 10 times. Ferrell died at the scene.
Jonathan Ferrell played for FAMU’s football team during the 2009 and 2010 seasons, the school said.
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Associated Press writer Jeffrey Collins in Charlotte contributed to this report.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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