Officer related shooting of 24 year old male in North Carolina

9/19/2013

     Any of you heard about the incident that happened on Saturday 9/14/2013 in Charlotte, North Carolina where the police officer Randall Kerrick shot an unarmed 24 year old black male, Jonathan A. Ferrell, ten times? Apparently, Jonathan Ferrell had just wrecked his car and needed some help so he knocked on a nearby strangers’ door.  A white female answered the door and immediately assumed that Mr. Ferrell was breaking into her house; after he knocked.  I’m sorry, “banged on the door.”  She then called 911 and reported a break in at her house.

     The Charlotte Police Department went ahead and charged the officer with voluntary manslaughter and rightfully so.  Listen Mr. Ferrell was unarmed, no gun, no knife, no nothing but shot ten times.  I think the officer should do the right thing; plead guilty, go to jail, thus giving the family closure so they can start to heal. You know you were wrong, Officer Randall Kerrick, now just do the honorable thing.

     Here’s where you’re probably going to disagree with me, “it’s my belief that the 911 caller should be charged with making a false report because she started this whole incident.  Have any of you heard her 911 call?  I heard it and so should you.  You would think that someone is breaking into her house to do her bodily harm.  She opened the door to him but he didn’t push his way in.  Officer Kerrick may have shot the gun but the 911 caller put Mr. Ferrell in the line of fire. 

911 call released by CBS news: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50155292n

     The police department should look at the whole picture then they would see that this incident would never have happened if not for that 911 call.  All she had to do was tell the young man that she was not going to help him and for him to leave her property, then call 911 and report a stranger in her neighborhood.  Dispatch would then send an officer out looking for a young man that might be lost or needing some help but not looking for a burglar.  Because when you think burglar what’s the first thing that comes to mind? ARMED AND DANGEROUS; that’s where I would of went.

     This man didn’t push his way into the house when she opened the door, he didn’t try to break the door down, and he didn’t break a window nor did he threaten bodily harm.  He was in need of help and he went to the door of someone that he thought would help him.

     I'm hoping that justice will be done for Mr. Ferrell and I pray that all who contributed to this incident get their just reward.

     I’m Lady PJ and information is power so be informed.  This blog post is mostly my opinion and I stick by it but I would love to know what you think.  Please leave a comment if you have something to say if not thank you for reading the post.  Much love to you all.

copyright 2013

Philessa H. Jenkins

Here's the link to the CBS news report: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57603722-504083/jonathan-ferrell-death-update-da-wants-state-to-prosecute-nc-cop-who-fatally-shot-ex-fla-a-m-football-player/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CBSNewsTheEarlyShowLeisure+(CBS+News%3A+The+Early+Show%3A+Leisure)