A Raleigh Police Officer shot and killed a man shortly after noon on Monday.
Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown confirmed the death in a press conference Monday afternoon. Deck-Brown told reporters that the State Bureau of Investigation is working on the case.
Their findings will be presented to the Wake County District Attorney. There will also be an internal investigation.
“This is a sad day. And our thoughts and our prayers go out to all involved,” Deck-Brown said in a prepared statement. She did not take questions.
Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown. (Via City of Raleigh Police)
She added, “Initially, it is known that a firearm was located in close proximity to the deceased suspect.” The man, whose name was not released by police, was wanted on a felony drug charge.
Deck-Brown said, “that weapon, along with all other elements available at the scene, will be processed.”
Police identified the officer involved in the shooting as 29-year-old senior officer D.C. Twiddy, on Monday night. Authorities say Twiddy has been with the Raleigh Police Department since 2009. Police say Twiddy has been placed on administrative leave, pending the completion of the investigation.
While police have not released the name of the deceased man, multiple Raleigh outlets are reporting that his name was Akiel Denkins. Denkins was a 24-year-old father of two. The hashtag #AkielDenkins became a trending topic on social media Monday afternoon.
The Raleigh City Council was set to discuss police body cameras at its Monday meeting, but that was removed from the agenda after the shooting.
A vigil is reportedly being held at seven o’clock Monday night near the location of the shooting.
https://twitter.com/BreeNewsome/status/704425328022831104
American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina executive director Sarah Preston released the following statement regarding the shooting:
“Along with many community members in Raleigh, we are alarmed by these reports, trying to learn more details about what happened, and express our deepest condolences to Akiel’s family. What we do know is that far too many people of color are victims of wrongful targeting and excessive use of force by law enforcement officers across the country, and North Carolina is not immune to that reality. The public and the victim’s family deserve answers about today’s shooting, and we urge the State Bureau of Investigation and Raleigh Police Department to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation. On a day when the Raleigh City Council was scheduled to discuss officer worn body cameras, this shooting points to the urgent need for North Carolina’s second-largest city’s police department to adopt this crucial technology and an accompanying policy that guarantees it will be used to promote officer accountability and transparency.”
