The Browns have announced that Andrew Brown Jr. will be laid to rest on Monday in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The family has asked Rev. Al Sharpton to deliver the eulogy at next week's funeral proceedings.
Brown Jr. was killed by police officers in Pasquotank County earlier this month. While serving a search warrant, officers shot the unarmed man four times in the torso and one time in the head. The shooting death has sparked protests in the area for seven days straight and triggered an FBI probe.
“Agents will work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice to determine whether federal laws were violated. As this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot comment further," the FBI said about the civil rights investigation.
Tensions continue to grow as the area awaits the release of body camera footage connected to the shooting. Thus far, only Brown Jr.'s family members and attorneys have seen a 20-second video of the shooting. Unfortunately, the Browns and the general public have not seen a complete recording of what took place. In an attempt to bar the release the body camera footage, Judge Jeffrey Foster delayed the public release of body camera footage for at least 30 to 45 days. However, he will let Brown Jr.'s relatives see the video in private.
"In this modern civil rights crisis where we see Black people killed by the police everywhere we look, video evidence is the key to discerning the truth and getting well-deserved justice for victims of senseless murders," attorneys representing Brown Jr.'s family said.
"Just look at the murder of George Floyd — if the world had not seen that clear and disturbing footage, there might not have even been an ounce of accountability for those officers. We refuse to be discouraged and vow to keep the pressure on these agencies until we get to the truth."
Photo Credit: Getty Images