The estate of Andrew Brown, Jr., a Black man who was fatally shot by North Carolina deputies during an attempted arrest last year, has reached a settlement with the county.
According to CNN, the Brown family settled with Pasquotank County for $3 million, after initially filing a $30 million lawsuit.
Brown, 42, was shot and killed in Elizabeth City, N.C., in April 2021, while the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office was serving him drug-related search and arrest warrants. According to police, Brown suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the back of the head in his vehicle.
Per WITN-TV, the family of Brown was represented by attorneys Bakari Sellers, Harry Daniels, Chantel Cherry-Lassiter, Chance Lynch, and Ben Crump, who issued a statement to the station on their behalf.
“Andrew Brown Jr. was a devoted father who wanted his children to have the things he didn’t,” the attorneys said. “While no settlement could ever fill the hole his death left in their hearts, this agreement is about providing for those children’s futures, securing their education, and ensuring their dreams didn’t die with their father.”
“No settlement can alleviate the loss to Mr. Brown’s children. However, the Estate of Andrew Brown accepts this settlement,” the statement concluded.
Following Brown’s death, Pasquotank District Attorney Andrew Womble said that the three deputies who opened fire on Brown were justified in the shooting and that none of the
officers would be charged in connection with his death.
Womble alleged that bodycam video showed Brown driving toward the seven responding deputies, striking officers with his car. His family said he was trying to elude law enforcement but did not pose a threat.
“Mr. Brown’s death, while tragic, was justified because Mr. Brown’s actions caused three deputies to reasonably believe it was necessary to use deadly force to protect themselves and others,” Womble said at the time.
The FBI is conducting a federal civil rights investigation into the case.
