Family, friends and civil rights advocates are gathering Monday for the funeral of Andrew Brown Jr., in Elizabeth City, N.C., as the circumstances of his death remained unclear. The Rev. Al Sharpton will give the eulogy.
Brown, a 42-year-old Black man, was shot and killed in his car by Pasquotank County Sheriff's deputies as they arrived to carry out search and arrest warrants related to several drug-related charges.
His family has described his death as an "execution." Relatives and their lawyers were shown a 20-second excerpt of footage from one officer's body camera. An independent autopsy commissioned by the family showed Brown was struck by five bullets, including a fatal shot to the back of his head.
Authorities say Brown was trying to drive away and struck deputies, prompting them to shoot.
The body-worn camera footage has not yet been made public, despite calls from family and public officials alike.
Along with Rev. Sharpton, speakers at Brown's funeral are expected to include high-profile civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing Brown's family, and the president of North Carolina's chapter of the NAACP, Rev. T. Anthony Spearman.
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