NC Man Shot 7 Times While Running Away from Police, Mother Says 

A Raleigh, North Carolina police officer has been placed on administrative duty pending the investigation of the shooting death of a young black man, who was wanted on a warrant, ABC 11 reports.

Officers declined to identify the dead man on Monday, however Rolanda Byrd said that the man who was fatally wounded by officers was her son, 24-year-old Akiel Denkins, who was wanted on a warrant. 

According to the report, an officer was trying to serve a warrant on a felony drug charge, when a foot chase ensued on Monday. 

“He was running away,” Byrd told ABC 11. “They couldn’t catch him so they shot at him seven times.”

“Everybody seen it,” the greiving mother added. “They ain’t going down with this one. They ain’t gonna get away with this one, there’s at least 40 eyewitnesses out here.”

Byrd said that several eye witnesses told her that her son, a father of two, was unarmed when he was shot by a white officer. 

On Monday night the police department identified 29-year-old D.C. Twiddy as the officer involved in the shooting. Police Chief Cassandra Deck Brown said that a gun was found near Denkins, and asked for “prayers” and “patience” as the shooting was investigated.

Brown stated that the State Bureau of Investigation, as well as Internal Affairs will be working on the case, promising an investigation that will “follow the available facts and evidence wherever they may lead.” 

“This is a sad day, and our thoughts and prayers go out to all involved,” Brown said.

According to ABC 11, Raleigh’s city council was set to have a meeting about the use of body cameras on the police force on Monday, but that event ended up being canceled because of the shooting. 

“This is obviously a sad, terrible situation,” Mayor Nancy McFarlane told reporters. “We are all very saddened by the news.”