Police records show a deaf man shot and killed by a North Carolina Highway Patrol trooper had been charged with traffic offenses and other misdemeanors in three states.
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Harris’ brother, Sam, said he has had similar misunderstandings with authorities.
Sam, their parents, and other family members are all deaf.
“The police need to become aware of how to communicate with deaf people, what that might look like and how to avoid situations like this from ever happening again”, Daniel’s brother, Sam Harris told WSOC during a vigil on August 22.
Trooper Jermaine Saunders had chased Daniel Harris almost 10 miles to the front door of his home in Charlotte’s University City neighborhood after trying to stop him for speeding Thursday on Interstate 485. For whatever reason, the deaf man did not immediately pull over and instead led the officer on a short chase that resulted in both vehicles getting damaged.
Harris loved to play with his 3-year-old son, and his nieces and nephews, his brother said.
Sam Harris, center, older brother of Daniel Harris signs to the crowd during a candlelight vigil along Seven Oaks Drive to remember Daniel Harris, Monday, Aug. 22, 2016 in Charlotte, N.C. Daniel Harris, a deaf man who was shot and killed by a North Carolina state trooper after he didn’t stop for the officer’s blue lights was unarmed and likely did not understand the officer’s commands, the slain man’s family says. The State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the shooting, and the trooper is on administrative leave, which is standard following a shooting.
The State Bureau of Investigation is leading one probe, and officials say they will review dashboard- and body-camera videos from Highway Patrol and Charlotte Metropolitan Police Department officers.
Perry said in part, “Let us all refrain from making assumptions or drawing conclusions prior to the internal and independent reviews”.
He said the family is confused.
Accounts of the moment before the state trooper fired vary depending on who you ask.
“There have been too many incidents with tragic consequences between law enforcement officers and deaf people”, Howard Rosenblum, CEO of the NAD, said in a statement.
They said Mr Harris, 29, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was shot “almost immediately” after getting out his auto following a brief pursuit. Detectives did confirm that Daniel was attempting to use sign language to communicate with the officer before he was shot, and he did not appear to be armed.
After the Monday night vigil, Sam Harris told reporters about a frightening encounter he had with an officer.
The Basic Law Enforcement Training manual has a section on dealing with deaf people.
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“We express our heartfelt apologies to Daniel’s family and the deaf and hard of hearing community”.
