Jonathan Ferrell, a former football player for the Florida A&M University Rattlers, was gunned down by police in Charlotte, North Carolina Saturday evening.
The 24-year-old had recently transferred to a Charlotte-area school to be closer to his fiancée and was working two jobs, according to his family.
Early Saturday morning, Ferrell’s vehicle crashed into a group of trees. The car was so damaged that he was forced to climb out of the back window, said Police Chief Rodney Monroe.
Once he had exited the vehicle, Ferrell reportedly walked about a half-mile to a nearby house, where he knocked “viciously” to seek help. The woman who lived there opened the door, but then closed it. She called police to report a breaking-and-entering, although Ferrell (who was unarmed) made no threats or attempts to rob the woman.
When authorities responded to the scene, Ferrell ran toward them, once again seeking help. Officers used a Taser, which failed to stop him. It was then that Officer Randall Kerrick fired his weapon at Ferrell, hitting him multiple times. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
While North Carolina police initially called Kerrick’s actions “appropriate and lawful”, they decided later Saturday that he had used excessive force against Ferrell, and charged him with voluntary manslaughter. This charge, in the state of North Carolina, entails killing without malice, using excessive force and exercising “imperfect self-defense.”
Kerrick, who had joined the force in April of 2011, turned himself in to authorities Saturday evening and posted $50,000 bond. Georgia Ferrell, Jonathan’s mother, had this to say in a statement Monday.
“I truly forgive him. I pray for him. And I pray that he gets off the police force. You took a piece of my heart that I can never get back.”
“This was an unwarranted, inhumane shooting,” Willie Ferrell, Jonathan’s brother, said.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to his family during their time of bereavement,” FAMU Interim Athletics Director Michael Smith said. Ferrell played a safety for the school during the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
Chris Chestnut, attorney for Ferrell’s family, hailed police for taking immediate action, saying, “This is an all-American young man who survived a horrific accident. He is crying for help and is showered with bullets. To shoot first and ask questions later is not an appropriate action for a police officer.”
The president of NAACP’s Charlotte branch, Kojo Nantambu, felt that Kerrick’s charges should be increased to murder.
“[It is a] tradition in this country to be able to kill innocent black men,” he said.
Chestnut, however, was unsure if this case had racial implications. Instead, he feels that Ferrell’s death shows the lack of sympathy and compassion people have for one another, regardless of race.
“I think this is poor decision making. I think this is more a reflection of where we are as a country. Before we assign race to this issue, perhaps we should pause and consider violence.”
