ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (WAVY) – Elizabeth City Mayor Bettie Parker gave her first public statement Friday about the deadly deputy-involved shooting that has garnered national attention. Saturday morning, along with other city officials, she held a press conference to discuss the case further.
“We are demanding that we have transparency and accountability,” Mayor Parker said during the news conference.
The mayor and city manager thanked protesters for being peaceful. There have been protests every day since 42-year-old Andrew Brown Jr. was shot and killed by law enforcement during the execution of a search warrant Wednesday. They want to see the body camera footage of the incident and are demanding to hear more from Pasquotank Sheriff Tommy Wooten.
Watch the full presser below:
Mayor Parker said she has not personally seen the body camera footage, but said she will watch it if it is made available.
“We decided to hold the press conference this morning rather than earlier in the week because we felt it would be prudent to first allow space for the county officials to control the narrative since our officers were not involved. To those who have been participating in the ongoing protests, the city would like to thank you for your peace,” explained Parker.
Elizabeth City Police Chief, Eddie Buffaloe, says his department usually works hand in hand with the county– but this time, none of his officers were involved in the incident.
“I didn’t know about it, I’m not sure if it was talked about at the lower level amongst those units but I did not know about it and my command staff did not know about it,” said Buffaloe.
Sheriff Wooten told 10 On Your Side seven deputies are on administrative leave following the shooting. Three deputies, he said were not directly involved in the shooting, have resigned.
Mayor Parker says she was not aware of the reasoning behind their resignations.
He also told WAVY’s Jason Marks the body camera video could be released within the next couple days.
City manager, Montre Freeman says the city is doing all they can to get the body camera footage released including delivering an official letter for that request to the Sheriff’s Office on Monday.
“He has 3 days to answer. A non-response is considered a denial according to the North Carolina general statue and then at that point we would petition the courts,” Freeman stated.
Mayor Parker says in the meantime, they will continue to protect the peaceful protesters and help Brown’s family in any way they can.