DA: Bullet hole in neighborhood unrelated to Denkins' shooting
Wake County crime scene investigators returned Friday afternoon to the scene where Akiel Denkins was shot and killed by a Raleigh police officer on Feb. 29 after an independent investigation claimed to find new evidence in the case.
Posted — UpdatedDenkins, 24, was shot and killed by Raleigh police officer D.C. Twiddy, who was attempting to arrest Denkins on an outstanding drug warrant, according to police.
Attorneys representing Denkins’ family said new evidence—a possible bullet hole—was discovered that didn’t appear in the initial police report.
“If that is a bullet hole, and if there’s a bullet in there that would match the officer’s gun, then that would contradict his statement that the shooting happened around the corner, behind the back of the patio,” said Scott Holmes, Denkins’ family attorney. “That would be a significant contradiction between his account and what the physical evidence would show.”
On Saturday, though, Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman released a statement that said investigators determined the evidence "tended to show the hole was not related" to the shooting involving Denkins. Documentation of the additional findings will be included in the full investigation, Freeman said.
Holmes told WRAL News that the family and legal team are grateful for the state's quick response time.
"We haven't had the opportunity to see what their investigators saw inside the house," he said. "We thank them."
A preliminary report from Raleigh police said Twiddy struggled with Denkins, and that Denkins was reaching for a gun when he was shot.
Twiddy maintains that he opened fire only after it appeared Denkins was reaching for a gun in his belt. Authorities said they found a stolen weapon near Denkins’ body.
Denkins was shot four times, in the chest, left forearm, upper right arm and shoulder, according to a preliminary autopsy report released on March 3. Twiddy suffered minor injuries.
Twiddy, 29, has been employed by the Raleigh Police Department since 2009 and is assigned to the Field Operations Division. He was placed on administrative leave, pending the completion of an investigation
Holmes said he and his colleagues would like to speak with Twiddy, in an effort to clear up what Holmes described as “inconstancies in his account.”
No additional information was released.
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