Family of man shot, killed by police in Roxboro says officer should have been charged

ROXBORO, N.C. (WNCN) — The family of the man shot and killed by Roxboro police said the officer involved should have been charged.

The Person County District Attorney Mike Waters cleared the officer, citing the dash camera video of the interaction. 

“That was seconds. There was no thought in that,” Jerriminco Brooks said.

Jerriminco is the brother of David Brooks Jr. 

The encounter between David and that Roxboro police officer is only seven seconds. From the time that cop pulls up until he shoots and kills the 45-year-old. 

“To me, it felt like a setup plain and simple,” Jerriminco said. 

Roxboro police said David was armed back in July. 

According to dash camera video, you can hear the officer order him to drop the gun and see David raise it toward him. 

Waters said the video played a big part in his decision not to charge the officer involved. 

“Officers are required to make split-second decisions. In this instance even though it was fast he perceived things the same way the camera perceived them and so his use of force was justified,” Waters explained.

The shooting prompted several protests over the last couple of months. Despite concerns and a curfew, things have remained peaceful.

That included a gathering Friday. But Wednesday, several of those that attended that event was arrested. They were charged with not having a necessary permit. 

“Let the people use their voice as long as we’re not breaking laws, as long as we’re not looting, rioting, let us use our voice,” Danielle Short, a community advocate said.

They question the timing, explaining the police chief wanted to prevent protests Wednesday night. 

In a statement, the Roxboro Police David Hess Chief wrote, “Our prayers continue to go out to the Brooks family and our community from this tragedy. We are committed to working with the NAACP and community leaders as we begin our internal administrative investigation. An exact timeline for the conclusion of the internal investigation is not known. The involved officer will remain on administrative leave during the internal investigation. We ask the community to continue being patient, peaceful, and prayerful during this process.”

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