NAACP says probe into Denkins' death far from complete
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Leaders with the North Carolina NAACP are conducting their own investigation into the death of Akiel Denkins, 24. They are requesting to see for themselves the preliminary autopsy that was released Thursday evening.
The autopsy report states that Denkins, who was shot and killed by Officer D.C. Twiddy with the Raleigh Police Department on Monday, was shot in the chest, both arms and shoulder.
RELATED: Autopsy shows Denkins was shot four times
"If that's what they said, doesn't necessarily mean that that's what it is," said Irv Joyner, attorney with the NC NAACP.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REPORT (.PDF)
In a short news conference at Bible Way Temple on Holmes Street in Raleigh, Joyner pointed out that the report is still not the whole story and that it is still very early in the investigation.
The president of the state's NAACP agrees.
"This is just a preliminary report from the police officer's perspective," said the Rev. William Barber. "It is not the final unbiased investigation that the family, community, truth and justice demands. We can handle the truth no matter what it is but only after the full and complete investigation is completed."
For the purposes of their own investigation, NAACP leaders are asking eyewitnesses to come forward.
"We are making an aggressive plea to anybody in this community who knows about the shooting to come forward and provide our attorneys with the information," Joyner said.
Denkins' mother, Rolanda Byrd, was not present at the NAACP meeting at the church, having been there earlier to make funeral arrangements for her son.
Instead local minister and family liaison William Cooper was there and said this about the developments of the day, "We still don't know the whole story, we're still looking for all the facts, all the details."
He went on to ask for prayers for the family.
News of the preliminary autopsy spread through a crowd of dozens before an already planned peaceful march through downtown Raleigh.
"I don't believe it and I don't trust it, and why? Because history tells us that," said one protester to the crowd.
People with signs that read "Black Lives Matter" marched from Shaw University to the steps of the old courthouse on Fayetteville Street.
