Human Rights

FBI Investigating Andrew Brown Jr.'s Death

Gov. Roy Cooper has called for a special prosecutor to be on the case.

FBI Investigating Andrew Brown Jr.'s Death
Robert Willett / The News & Observer / AP

The FBI announced a federal civil rights investigation into the death of Andrew Brown Jr. North Carolina sheriff's deputies shot him while serving drug-related warrants last week.

Gov. Roy Cooper has called for a special prosecutor to be on the case. 

Brown's family has demanded more transparency, and a judge scheduled a hearing Wednesday to consider formal requests to make the bodycam video of the shooting public. 

The state's autopsy has not been released yet, but an independent autopsy showed he was shot five times, including once in the back of the head. Brown's family says he was not a threat and was not engaging with the deputies.

Brown's son, Khalil Ferebee, said: "To my pops, man, yesterday I said he was executed. This autopsy report showed me that was correct. Those three gunshots to the arm. That wasn't enough? That wasn't enough? It's obvious he was trying to get away. Its obvious. And they're gonna shoot in the back of the head."

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.