Andrew Brown Jr., Black man killed by N.C. deputies, laid to rest at emotional funeral: ‘I love my daddy to death’
Two of Andrew Brown Jr.’s seven children told mourners Monday they adored the unarmed Black man who was fatally shot in the back of his head by sheriff deputies in North Carolina two weeks ago.
Son Jha’rod Ferebee said he and his dad, Andrew Brown Jr., were “like best friends.”
“Every time you see him, you see me. You see me, you see him. We couldn’t stay away from each other,” Jha’rod said at the invitation-only funeral service at the Fountain of Life church in Elizabeth City that was streamed live.
“It’s crazy what’s going on right now. I love my daddy to death,” Jha’rod said. “His physical being ain’t here, but he’s here with us, for sure. And bro, we’re going to get through this. Family, we’re going to get through this. And I want to appreciate everybody for supporting the movement. And we’re going to keep it going. We’re going to get justice.”
Brown was fatally shot April 21 as Pasquotank County Sheriff’s deputies attempted to execute an arrest warrant in a drug case at his residence.
Khalil Ferebee, Brown’s eldest son, said it was “terrible” that his family had to gather for a funeral.
“He would’ve loved this, and I just wish he was here with us, but as much as I’m going to wish and wish and wish all day, it’s not going to happen,” Ferebee said during his emotional address.
“I love you pops,” he said.
Family lawyer Ben Crump called Brown’s death a “reckless shooting” as he continued his call for the public release of all deputy bodycam video in the case.
“We are here to make this plea for justice because Andrew was killed unjustifiably, as many Black men in America have been killed — shot in the back, shot going away from the police,” he said.
The Rev. Al Sharpton also spoke at the request of Brown’s family. The civil rights leader previously gave the eulogies at the funerals of George Floyd and Daunte Wright, Black men who died at the hands of police in Minnesota.
“The challenge of these times,” Sharpton said, is to “deal with policing in America.”
Sharpton called on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, highlighting the fact that several uniformed officers testified against Derek Chauvin days before the former Minneapolis cop was convicted of murdering Floyd by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes.
“Even the police are tired of making excuses,” Sharpton said.
Brown, 42, was killed as deputies served the warrant in an investigation that allegedly recorded Brown selling small amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine to an informant, law enforcement officials said in statements and court documents.
Seven deputies were placed on administrative leave following the shooting.
In video statements, Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten II said multiple deputies fired shots and that the incident is under review by the State Bureau of Investigation as well as four other sheriff’s offices.
Video of the incident obtained by WAVY-TV showed the sheriff’s deputies pulling up to Brown’s residence in a truck and immediately yelling “Hands up!” seconds before shots were fired.
“This tragic incident was quick and over in less than 30 seconds,” Wooten said last week.
“I want answers about what happened as much as the public does,” Wooten said in a statement Tuesday. He said the family’s autopsy “is important,” but said it is “just one piece of the puzzle” and said the state investigation will also gather key information about the incident.
An independent autopsy released by the family Tuesday showed Brown was shot five times and died from a bullet to the back of his head.
The FBI, meanwhile, has opened a civil rights probe into the shooting.
“Agents will work closely with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice to determine whether federal laws were violated,” the FBI said in a statement.
With News Wire Services
