Charlotte Police Kill Unarmed Man Who Was Asking for Help
In another shooting of an unarmed individual by police this weekend, a former Florida A&M football player was shot and killed as he approached police officers, looking for assistance after getting into a car accident.
Jonathan Ferrell, 24, crashed his car early Saturday morning, and approached a home, looking for help. The residents, unsure of who was outside, called the police. When the officers arrived, Ferell ran towards them, only to be shot several times. Ferell, who might have been badly shaken up by the accident, died on the scene.
"It was a pretty serious accident," Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe told CNN. Ferell had to climb out the back window of the car.
The officer who shot Ferell, Randall Kerrick, was charged with voluntary manslaughter on Saturday, a felony charge that means the killing was done in self-defense. Police were called to the scene when a homeowner noticed Ferell outside.
"To her surprise, it was an individual that she did not know or recognize," said Chief Monroe. "She immediately closed the door, hit her panic alarm, called 911."
Ferell continued to attempt to get the homeowners attention, and was frantic by the time police arrived. The police department described the incident as having "devastated a family as well as caused a great deal of sadness and anxiety in our organization."
All three officers have been placed on paid leave.
"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. "Our investigation has shown that Officer Kerrick did not have a lawful right to discharge his weapon during this encounter. "