DA: No charges for North Carolina officer in fatal shooting

ROXBORO, N.C. – No charges will be filed against a North Carolina police officer who fatally shot a Black man who pointed a sawed-off shotgun at the officer, a district attorney said Wednesday.

Person County District Attorney Mike Waters said that after reviewing the dashboard video, he determined that the Roxboro officer “reasonably … did fear for his life, and he was justified in using deadly force.”

Police said David Brooks Jr., 45, of Roxboro was shot July 24 after officers responded to a call about a man wearing a mask and carrying what appeared to be a shotgun while walking down a highway and near a discount retail store.

Roxboro Police Chief David Hess said investigators found a loaded sawed-off shotgun at the scene. Hess said such guns are illegal in North Carolina.

Two officers were placed on leave after the shooting, but Hess declined to name them at the time. Waters didn’t identify the officer who was cleared of possible charges.

Several nights of protests followed the shooting, prompting town leaders to put the downtown area under a curfew for two nights. Roxboro is approximately 55 miles (88 kilometres) north of Raleigh.