The family of Andrew Brown Jr, who suffered fatal gunshot wounds fired by deputies of Pasquotank Sheriff on Wednesday in North Carolina’s Elizabeth City, described the incident as an “execution” after seeing the bodycam footage on Monday, according to statements given by the family’s legal representation. 

The bodycam footage of the incident, which was previously being withheld, is one of the few shreds of evidence of the incident that has been revealed, however, not for the public. In addition to this, details about the first responders’ dispatch call were made public, in which someone can be heard saying the Brown Jr had sustained gunshots to his back. 

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However, the issued death certificate states that he died because of a bullet-induced injury on his head. 

Chantel Cherry-Lassiter, the legal representation for Brown Jr’s family said that the 42-year-old was seen sitting in his car while gripping the steering wheel in the 20-second video, which was shown by Michael Cox, Pasquotank County Attorney. 

“He wasn’t reaching for anything, he wasn’t touching anything, he wasn’t throwing anything around”, Cherry-Lassiter said. 

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She went on to describe the video and emphasised that Brown Jr put his car in reverse and attempted to get out of the driveway when the police open fired on Wednesday. 

The family’s attorney was highly critical of the lack of clarity provided by the law enforcement authorities on matters relating to the case and denounced that only one short clip was shown even though multiple police officers, who were equipped with bodycams, were present at the scene.