A former Florida A & M football player was shot dead Saturday as he sought help from authorities.

Police were called after Jonathan Ferrell pounded on a resident’s door in Charlotte after being involved in a car accident.

Officers responded to the 911 call, first striking the unarmed victim with a taser as he ran towards them. Ferrell was later shot to death by Officer Randall Kerrick.

From The New York Times:

After initially calling the shooting “appropriate and lawful,” the Police Department issued a statement late Saturday saying that “the investigation showed that the subsequent shooting of Mr. Ferrell was excessive” and that Officer Kerrick “did not have a lawful right to discharge his weapon during this encounter.” Officer Kerrick was charged with voluntary manslaughter, which under North Carolina law involves killing without malice using “excessive force” in exercising “imperfect self-defense.”

Read more at The New York Times

 

 

Kerrick is currently out on $50,000 bond and police are offering no further details of the episode as of Sunday.

Yet another life cut short by trigger happy police officers. Our condolences go out to Ferrell’s family.

What’s a sufficient punishment for Officer Kerrick?

Are the charges of voluntary manslaughter enough?

Sound off below!