Father-of-one Daniel Kevin Harris, 29, was gunned down outside his own home in North Carolina by Charlotte state trooper Jermaine Saunders last Thursday. According to authorities, the officer tried to pull Harris over after he observed him speeding but the deaf driver continued to his own house leading Saunders on a brief pursuit.
Police say that when the victim stopped his car, he exited the vehicle and approached Saunders which resulted in the fatal shooting.
However, WCNC reports that witnesses said unarmed Harris was shot ‘almost immediately’ after getting out his car. Onlookers said the 29-year-old, who has a four-year-old son, was trying to communicate using sign language.
But officer Saunders claims he killed Harris, who died at the scene, because he was moving towards him and not responding to his commands.
The victim’s grieving family, who are also hearing impaired, claim Harris would not have understood the situation and would have been afraid.
A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police report identified Harris as hearing impaired and white.
Harris family has raised over $13,000 so far through a fundraising page following his death for his funeral costs.
The page’s post reads: “He was unarmed when shot and killed by a state trooper. Pls donate.
With files from the Sun UK
