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Trooper will not be charged in shooting death of 21-year-old Siler City man

A man was shot and killed by a state trooper Monday afternoon after brandishing a gun at a traffic stop in Chatham County, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

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SILER CITY, N.C. — The district attorney for Chatham and Orange counties, Jim Woodall, said criminal charges will not be filed in the May shooting death of a 21-year-old Siler City man.

Mark Anthony Diaz was shot by State Highway Patrol Trooper Rodney Cook on May 30 during a traffic stop near U.S. Highway 64.

Mark Anthony Diaz, 21, died on Monday in a trooper-involved shooting in Siler City.

A report released Thursday on the shooting said Cook pulled Diaz over after noticing he was not wearing a seatbelt. Cook smelled marijuana coming from Diaz's car and asked him how much marijuana was in the car.

Then, Cook asked Diaz to step out of the car.

Before getting out, the report said Diaz grabbed a semiautomatic pistol from inside the car. Cook saw the pistol in Diaz's hand, the report said, and attempted to disarm him.

When Diaz resisted, Cook retreated behind Diaz's car and saw the gun pointed out of the driver's side of the car. The report said Diaz then got out of his car and walked towards the back of the car with the pistol in his hand.

Cook fired a single shot from his gun and Diaz fell to the ground with the pistol in his hand.

Diaz was taken to Chatham County Hospital where he died shortly after from the gunshot.

Woodall said Cook "acted reasonably under the circumstances to protect the public and himself" and the use of deadly force was lawful.

"Nonetheless, the death of Mark Anthony Diaz is a tragic event," Woodall said. "He had family and many friends who will forever be affected by his loss."

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