NAACP leaders called for a “speedy” and “transparent” investigation after a Raleigh Police Officer shot and killed a man on Monday.

According to Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown, 29 year-old Officer D.C. Twiddy was pursuing a man when the officer shot and killed him near the intersection of Bragg and East Streets in Raleigh.

Deck-Brown said that the State Bureau of Investigation was leading the investigation. Dr. William Barber, leader of the NC NAACP said that any conclusion of the investigation should be accepted.

“That has to be the attitude of anyone who is leading a police force. We are going to do a through, impartial investigative with transparency and wherever the truth leads,” said Barber.

The mother of the deceased cried as she stood next to Barber. She said she has not yet been able to formally identify the body.

“She is entitled to know why her son, somebody’s brother, somebody’s nephew was killed and this investigation should be resolved in a speed manner,” said Barber.

Police have not released the name of the man who was killed but several media reports and the NAACP press conference identified him as 24-year-old Akiel Denkins.

In her statement on Monday, Police Chief Deck-Brown said that a firearm was found near the scene. “Initially, it is known that a firearm was located in close proximity to the deceased suspect,” Deck-Brown said, “that weapon, along with all other elements available at the scene, will be processed.”

Deck-Brown also told reporters that the man was a suspect wanted on a felony drug charge but Barber cautioned against letting that control the narrative surround the shooting.

“A warrant for arrest is not a license to kill,” said Barber.

Authorities say Officer Twiddy has been with the Raleigh Police Department since 2009. Twiddy has been placed on administrative leave until the completion of the investigation.

On Monday evening hundreds gathered near the site of the shooting. Barber said that historical tensions between African-American and police are present in Raleigh.

“This tension is present in most cities and Raleigh is no exception to that history, all of us in America dealt with it,” said Barber. “The NAACP’s very existence grew out of some of this kind of tension.”

A preliminary report of the shooting is expected to be released within five days.

Related Stories
‹
Videos of the Deadly Minneapolis Shooting of Alex Pretti Contradict Government Statements
Leaders of law enforcement organizations expressed alarm Sunday over the latest deadly shooting by federal officers in Minneapolis while use-of-force experts criticized the Trump administration’s justification of the killing.
Parents And Students Criticize Carrboro High School Principal, While NAACP Voices Support
The controversy around leadership at Carrboro High School continued to heat up this week, with parents, students, and the NAACP weighing in.
Records Show Deputy Charged in Sonya Massey’s Fatal Shooting Worked for 6 Agencies in 4 Years
Written by JOHN O’CONNOR and COREY WILLIAMS The former sheriff’s deputy charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman killed inside her Illinois home, had been employed by a half-dozen police agencies since 2020, according to state law enforcement records. Sean Grayson’s career included short stints as a part-time officer at […]
DeSantis Is Defending New Slavery Teachings. Civil Rights Leaders See a Pattern of ‘Policy Violence’
Written by STEVE PEOPLES, BRENDAN FARRINGTON AND KAT STAFFORD Civil rights activists cheered when Ron DeSantis pardoned four Black men wrongfully convicted of rape as one of his first actions as Florida’s governor. But four years later, as DeSantis eyes the presidency, their hope that the Republican would be an ally on racial justice has long faded. Instead, […]
Local NAACP Caps 75th Anniversary, Looks Forward with Community Discussion
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP held several events this last month as part of the chapter’s 75th anniversary. The group capped off a special schedule with its annual gala on Saturday night, but also held an important community event discussion on Sunday. October 23 marked the official Founding Day for the local chapter, with many members […]
NC Democrats Seek Bipartisan Gun Laws After Mass Shooting
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON North Carolina Democratic legislators pleaded with the General Assembly’s Republican majority on Tuesday to consider gun safety and mental health measures, citing last week’s shootings in Raleigh that left five people dead. Democratic lawmakers, one a resident of the east Raleigh subdivision where the shooting rampage began last Thursday, said […]
Parents of Accused North Carolina Shooter Express Sorrow
Written by JONATHAN DREW The parents of a 15-year-old boy accused of killing five people in a North Carolina shooting rampage released a statement Tuesday saying they are “overcome with grief” and saw no warning signs before the killings. Alan and Elise Thompson issued the statement through a lawyer that acknowledges the pain caused by their son, […]
Orange County Law Enforcement Offers Condolences After Raleigh Mass Shooting
The Raleigh community continued to react and recover Friday morning from a mass shooting that shook the state’s capitol city and left five people dead. A few miles west, law enforcement agencies in Orange County offered their support and sympathy to those affected by the murders. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Chapel Hill Police Department […]
Local NAACP, League of Women Voters Chapters Prepare for 75th Anniversaries
This fall, two active organizations in the community are celebrating their 75th anniversaries: the Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP and the League of Women Voters of Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties. In Chapel Hill and Carrboro, the NAACP chapter is known for being a critical voice in local activism – helping organize rallies, events and […]
Lawyer: Former President of North Carolina NAACP Found Dead
Written by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Rev. T. Anthony Spearman, a civil rights advocate and former president of the North Carolina branch of the NAACP who also served as president of the N.C. Council of Churches, has been found dead, authorities said Wednesday. Spearman, 71, was found in his home on Tuesday, the Guilford County […]
›