The mayor’s office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, declared a state of emergency on April 26 ahead of the expected release of body camera footage that shows the police-involved shooting of a 42-year-old black man, amid concern that the video may spark protests and riots.
Mayor Bettie Parker stated that law enforcement expects a “period of civil unrest” following the release of the video showing the fatal shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. last week. Brown died following the execution of a search warrant on April 21, and witnesses have said that Brown was driving away from the scene at the time when deputies opened fire.
