North Carolina state trooper shoots and kills unarmed deaf and mute man

Forum 7 years ago

North Carolina state trooper shoots and kills unarmed deaf and mute man

A North Carolina state trooper shot dead a deaf and mute man who was speeding. The man, Daniel Kevin Harris, a 29 year old father to a 4 year old was trying to communicate with the trooper using sign language when he was shot and killed not too far from his home in Charlotte on Thursday evening.
Police say state Trooper Jermaine Saunders tried to pull Harris over for a speeding violation on Interstate 485 at around 6.15pm, but the driver led authorities on a brief pursuit before he finally stopped.

Authorities said after Harris stopped, he got out of his car and an encounter took place between the driver and the trooper, causing a shot to be fired. Harris died at the scene. But witnesses said Harris, who was unarmed, was shot ‘almost immediately’ after he got out of his car.

His immediate family members say they are also hearing impaired.

His brother, Jay Harris, spoke to WCCB Charlotte through a sign language interpreter:
“He was unarmed”. “And he is a deaf individual, and I think that he was just afraid.”
Jay Harris thinks his brother didn't know Trooper Saunders was trying to pull him over for speeding. Trooper Saunders says he shot Harris because he was advancing and not following commands.