Autopsy: Durham Teen Shot In Head, Chest

Wilmington, N.C. — An autopsy report released Wednesday confirms that a Durham teen who was killed last month as New Hanover County sheriff deputies stormed his Wilmington home was shot in the head and chest.

Authorities were at the Wilmington home on Dec. 1 to serve Peyton Strickland, 18, with warrants in connection with an assault and the theft of two Playstation 3 consoles.

Investigators believe the bullets went through the front door and they think deputy Christopher Long fired the fatal shot. Long told investigators he mistook the sound of a battering ram officers were using to break open the front door to the house as gunfire.

Long was fired from the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office after the incident, and a grand jury indicted him on a second-degree murder charge. But a day after the indictment was returned, a judge ordered that it be dismissed because the grand jury foreman testified that he had checked the wrong box on the indictment form.

Long may still face criminal charges in the case.

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Was police using excessive force? Perhaps. But if the young man hadn't committed theft to begin with and/or chosen his acquaintances better, we wouldn't have to ask this question. Calling the officer a "trigger happy idiot" is irresponsible. Put yourself in his shoes in that situation, with only a split second to make a life-or-death decision. There is no 'save-reload' option in real life like there is on the stolen game console. Personally, I'll reserve my judgement on excessive force and name-calling until I know all the facts - and I'm not holding my breath on that.

Oh Smeg
January 25, 2007 9:17 a.m.

ksdavis,

Insightful post!

Some days it seems there is a contest here to determine who can post the most hate while barely adhering to the TOS. Can you imagine living inside their skin; being eaten from the inside out with hatred for your fellow man, fellow creatures?

Thank you for posting something worthy of reading.

whiffleball
January 25, 2007 8:53 a.m.

everyone keeps saying this "boy was only 18" there are lots of people in prison serving life sentences for things they did before they turned 21. Age doesn't matter. It sounds to me like the officer was trigger happy... he is only human. He will be judged by a jury but i'm sure none of us will be on it. :) So i guess this comment section does have it's advantages after all!

Execution Style
January 25, 2007 7:37 a.m.

There is one detail of this case that everyone seems to be forgetting. The officer shot through the door! Regardless of the circumstances leading up to this event. Should a SWAT team have been used? Was he guilty? Pictures with guns on the internet?

All of this doesn't matter. When the officer fired through the door he broke every rule of engagement. There is never justification for firing at an unknown, unseen and therefore improperly accessed threat. That is reckless endangerment. People this was a homicide ( The act or an instance of unlawfully killing another human being).

.45
January 25, 2007 4:47 a.m.

this trigger happy idiot needs to be charged with murder...and for the one who said they need to see a pic of him beating someone up....he stoled a game from some kid, this hardly deserved a swat team

eric52272
January 24, 2007 10:57 p.m.