At least five people were arrested as protests continued for a seventh straight night Tuesday in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, following the shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. last week.
Dozens of protesters remained out on the streets in violation of the city’s curfew that went into effect at 8 p.m. Police issued multiple unlawful assembly warnings for the crowd, which they said was “blocking officers and is continuing to violate North Carolina General Statutes.”
“The final warning has been given to disperse,” Elizabeth City police said just before 10 p.m. “Arrests will be made at this time.”
A protester carries a Black Lives Matter flag shortly before the start of a dawn to dusk curfew following the killing of Andrew Brown Jr. by sheriffs last week, in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, U.S. April 27, 2021. REUTERS/Jonathan Drake
The protests come after the FBI launched a civil rights probe Tuesday into the death of Brown, a Black man killed by deputies in North Carolina. His family also released an independent autopsy showing he was shot five times, including in the back of the head.
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The public has demanded bodycam footage of the incident and a court hearing on access to the video was scheduled for Wednesday. Brown’s family said they viewed 20 seconds of bodycam footage on Monday.
His death has also led to nightly protests and demands for justice in Elizabeth City. On Monday evening, hundreds of demonstrators marched through the city’s downtown area, as some carried signs and chanted: “Release the tape! The real tape!”
Brown was killed in Elizabeth City on April 21 as deputies were serving search and arrest warrants.
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