Police identify North Carolina man fatally shot by officer during Thanksgiving traffic stop
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Fayetteville police on Friday identified a man shot and killed by a police officer during a traffic stop on Thanksgiving Day.
DeMarcus Brodie, 49, of Fayetteville, died of a gunshot wound Thursday after he reportedly resisted arrest and began assaulting officers, leading one to deploy his firearm, Police Chief Kemberle Braden said.
Officers first attempted de-escalation techniques and used a stun gun, Braden said, but Brodie continued assaulting the two officers on the scene. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he died of his injuries late Thursday.
Dillon Hoke, the officer who fatally shot Brodie, was also taken to a hospital where he was treated for injuries he sustained during the altercation. He has been released from the hospital and is on administrative leave while the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation looks into the case, Braden told reporters. Hoke has been an officer with the department since February 2016.
“Any critical incident, especially an officer-involved shooting, is not taken lightly,” Braden said. “And we’ll be reviewing that and see what training needs or what other needs the department may have based on this critical incident.”
Police have not said why Brodie was pulled over or provided additional details about the altercation. A knife was found at the scene of the traffic stop, and a preliminary investigation indicated Brodie was the sole occupant of the vehicle, Braden said.