Raleigh police chief Cassandra Deck-Brown said at a press conference on Monday a firearm was found "in close proximity" to the deceased, who she said was wanted on a drug charge felony.
"He was unarmed and he was running away because they couldn’t catch him and he jumped the fence and they shot at him seven times," Rolanda Byrd, the mother of the victim, told the WNCN affiliate of CBS News.
Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown's statement on today’s officer-involved shooting. https://t.co/ZMDiKvnNO3 pic.twitter.com/Pl0bbh9fs1
— City of Raleigh (@RaleighGov) February 29, 2016
Byrd said her 24-year-old African-American son, Akiel Denkins, was shot and killed by a white officer.
Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane told the outlet the incident was "obviously a sad, terrible situation."
Here's the statement read by Raleigh police chief Cassandra Deck-Brown pic.twitter.com/zLgRIiJXxo
— Andy Specht (@AndySpecht) February 29, 2016
The shooting led to a small demonstration with "black lives matter" chants, as reported by the ABC News affiliate WTVD.
It added that a Raleigh city council canceled a meeting on the use of body cameras on police officers following the incident.
Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown to give statement on @raleighpolice shooting at 4. #WRAL pic.twitter.com/65Y0Cu5DvN
— Julia Sims (@WRALJulia) February 29, 2016
