2 deputies involved in fatal shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. return to duty, 1 resigns

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Friday, June 4, 2021
2 deputies involved in shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. return to duty
Two Pasquotank County deputies who fired shots in the fatal shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. returned to duty in early June.

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Two Pasquotank County deputies who fired shots in the fatal shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. returned to duty in early June.

Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten II announced in a Friday statement that deputies Daniel Meads and Robert Morgan were reinstated to the sheriff's office after being placed on administrative leave -- Meads returned on June 1, Morgan on June 2.

A third deputy, Aaron Lewellyn, is resigning at the end of June and will be using "accrued leave."

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The full statement by Sheriff Tommy Wooten II:

We are issuing the latest information regarding the change in status regarding three deputies who have been on administrative leave status until recently: Deputy Daniel Meads returned to work June 1, 2021. Deputy Robert Morgan returned to work June 2, 2021. Deputy Aaron Lewellyn has informed this office that he is resigning effective June 30, 2021; he will be using accrued leave until that date.

Initially, seven deputies were put on leave as the State Bureau of Investigation reviewed footage of the incident that resulted in Brown being killed.

Meads, Morgan and Lewellyn were the three deputies who appeared to have fired guns in the incident. The others have already returned to duty.

On May 18, District Attorney Andrew Womble said the deputies were justified in killing Brown on April 21 and would not face criminal charges.

Following the District Attorney's verdict, Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy S. Wooten II said the three deputies would be "disciplined and retrained."