New details released after 16-year-old was shot by Durham officer
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Durham Police Chief Patrice Andrews is standing by her officers after she said she reviewed the body-worn camera video that shows more of what happened on Nov. 17 when one of her officers shot a 16-year-old.
Durham Police has not released the body-worn camera video to the public, citing state law that requires a court order. However, ABC11 has petitioned for the release of the video.
"A 16-year-old made a very adult decision to carry a firearm, to possess a firearm, and then made the adult decision to brandish that firearm towards a police officer," Andrews said.
It started when Cpl. Rex McQueen was one of the first to respond to reports of cars racing at the Woodcroft Shopping Center shortly after midnight on Sunday.
Andrews said McQueen had a "low level of desire to get out and engage with the crowd," but it escalated into a single confrontation and chase.
"He was simply using his officer presence as a way to disperse this crowd," Andrews said. "It was not until our juvenile suspect decided to throw objects at his vehicle, which in turn I believe we've identified as eggs, that Cpl. McQueen very quickly turned his attention and then exited the vehicle."
Andrews said the teen pulled out a handgun during the chase and refused to drop it, despite the officer's multiple commands, which Andrews said she heard on the video.
"Cpl. McQueen quite frankly asked and demanded several times, I counted five," Andrews said. "At a point in time, he demanded that the juvenile get down on the ground, he even at some point said "son" referring to the juvenile, trying to in some way connect with him to get him to drop that firearm."
McQueen fired a total of six shots, two of which struck the teen.
"Neither of those shots were to his back," Andrews said, denying a family member's claim that the teen was shot in the back.
The teen got into a car after he was shot that was later stopped right across the street and the teen was given medical care before he was taken to the hospital.
So far, the teen is facing several charges, but more charges could come out of this ongoing investigation, according to Andrews, who said the people who were in the car that the teen got in were also detained.
"Additional charges could be forthcoming for individuals that were not involved in the officer-involved shooting but certainly were there and participated in this abhorrent behavior," Andrews said.
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Andrews said she has not observed any violation of the Durham Police Department's policy governing the use of force, officer-involved shootings, or any policy governing how they interact with any member of the community.
"The professionalism by Cpl. McQueen, both before, during, and after the shooting was very heartening," Andrews said. "To me, as a police chief and a leader of this organization, it was almost as he was very disappointed that he had to use the force that he did."
McQueen has been placed on administrative duty, which is standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting, as the SBI continues to lead the investigation.
