Elizabeth City, North Carolina – A man was fatally shot by a Pasquotank County deputy during the execution of a search warrant in Elizabeth City Wednesday morning, according to WITN.
Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten said deputies were conducting a search of the 400 block of Perry Street around 8:30 p.m.
Wooten identified the man as Andrew Brown Jr.
Family members also said Brown was not known to have a gun nor was he a “violent person.”
Brown’s aunt, Glenda Thomas, said she was known to law enforcement for drug-related charges.
“You know, with the problems he’s had, they knew Andrew Brown Jr., they knew his father, I’m sure. So why would he shoot him and kill him? Then I understand they shot him in the back. Why would you?” “If you had an arrest warrant and decided to run, you could always come home later and get it,” said Brown’s aunt, Glenda Thomas.
Thomas said Brown was about 40 years old and had several children.
He loved his family and his laughter would light up the house, “Thomas described.” If his children wanted something, he would buy it for them. “
Officials said that during the execution of the search warrant, Brown, who was the center of the order, was shot dead.
Wooten said the deputy involved in the shooting has been put on administrative leave while the State Bureau of Investigation is studying the shooting, a common practice whenever a police officer fires a gun.
During a press conference on the shooting Wednesday afternoon, Wooten said deputies had body cameras turned on and were active during the shooting.
He added that law enforcement was working to release images from the body camera of the shooting.
Now Elizabeth City residents are asking for answers.
WITN reported that a crowd of people gathered at the scene of the shooting and demanded to know what happened Wednesday afternoon.
On Wednesday night, about 100 protesters blocked the streets in front of an emergency City Hall meeting and demanded that the sheriff tell them what happened.
“We won’t leave until some cooperation, until we get some transparency. What are you hiding? There were body camera footage. Tell the community,” said Keith Rivers, with the North Carolina NAACP.
“Apart from blocking the roads, we have not breached any law, but we want answers and justice. The sheriff should come out here,” said a protester who did not want to be identified.
Brown family members said that while in mourning, they have many questions and very few answers.
“The life he lived, he still had in his heart to do things for his family,” Thomas said.