Former FBI agent says Raleigh officer was justified in shooting man after I-440 wreck

In this instance, the officers did what they were trained to do, according to Chris Swecker, a former Federal Bureau of Investigations agent and local attorney.
Posted 1/13/2022, 12:21:00 AM Updated 1/14/2022, 12:50:21 AM

HAS NOT RELEASED THE NAME OF

THE MAN INVOLVED.

>> LORA LAVIGNE, THANK YOU:

THE MAN SHOT YESTERDAY ON

THESIDE OF THE BELTLINE IS

DEAD.

WE TOLD YOU ABOUT THE CRASH

INVOLVING A SCUFFLE AND POLICE

SHOOTING LAST NIGHT.

A NEWLY RELEASED 911 CALL

REVEALS MORE ABOUT WHAT

HAPPENED.

>> CULLEN BROWDER JOINS US LIVE

WITH A FORMER FBI AGENT'S

ANALYSIS.

>> Reporter: THE RALEIGH POLICE

OFFICER WHO FIRED THAT SHOT IS

NOW ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE,

WHICH IS STANDARD PROCEDURE.

WE ASKED A LONG TIME FBI AGENT

WHO'S ALSO AN ATTORNEY TO

REVIEW THE VIDEO SHOWING WHAT

LED UP TO THE SHOOTING AND HE

BELIEVES THE OFFICERS DID WHAT

THEY WERE TRAINED TO DO IN THE

FACE OF IMMINENT DANGER.

>> YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT

OFFICERS ARE MAKING A SPLIT

SECOND JUDGMENT, MAKING LIFE OR

DEATH DECISIONS.

>> Reporter: THE FORMER FBI

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AGREED TO

ANALYZE THIS VIDEO OF TUESDAY'S

RPD SHOOTING ON THE BELTLINE.

>> THERE WAS A CHILD INVOLVED

BUT THE CHILD WAS OUT OF HARM'S

WAY.

YOU HAD FIVE OFFICERS TRYING TO

SUBDUE THIS SUBJECT WHO WAS NOT

COOPERATING AND HAD A KNIFE.

SOMEONE WAS YELLING AT HIM,

COUSIN SIT DOWN.

SOMEBODY CLOSE BY WAS YELLING

FOR HIM TO COOPERATE.

>> Reporter: INSTEAD THE MAN

TRIED TO WALK AWAY AND RALEIGH

OFFICERS USED A TASEER THEN

PAUSED.

>> THEY WERE WAITING TO SEE IF

THE TASER WAS DOING ITS JOB.

>> Reporter: BUT HE BEGAN

STRUGGLING BEFORE OFFICERS

COULD TAKE THE KNIFE AWAY.

>> IN THEIR TRAINING AND MY

TRAINING AS AN FBI AGENT,

KNIVES ARE A DEADLY WEAPON AND

CAN BE USED TO STAB YOU IN THE

HEART AND THROAT AND KILL YOU

IN SECONDS.

>> Reporter: IN THAT MOMENT, AN

OFFICER FIRED HIS GUN.

>> BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY TO

THE PERSON AND THE KNIFE HE'S

SWINGING AROUND, I HAVE A

PRELIMINARY OPINION THAT THAT'S

GOING TO BE RULED A JUSTIFIED

SHOOTING.

>> Reporter: AND AGAIN, THIS

SBI INVESTIGATION WILL

INCORPORATE ALL AVAILABLE

VIDEO, BODY CAMERA, AS WELL AS

INTERVIEWS AND CONTEXT TO ADD

TO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THIS