RALEIGH, N.C. – The State Bureau of Investigation is conducting an independent criminal investigation into a fatal shooting Monday involving a Raleigh police officer.
The incident occurred shortly after noon on Monday at the intersection of Bragg and East streets. Raleigh police said 29-year-old Senior Officer D.C. Twiddy was attempting to arrest a suspect on a drug charge.
The suspect was identified by family as 24-year-old Akiel Denkins. Police said Denkins took off running and that’s when he was shot by officer Twiddy.
Denkins’ mother, Rolanda Byrd, told WNCN that her son was wanted on a warrant and while running from police, was shot in the back. Byrd said her son had two children.
“He was unarmed and he was running away because they couldn’t catch him and he jumped the fence and they shot at him seven times,” Byrd said.
Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown said a gun was found near Denkins and the shooting remains under investigation.
“I ask everyone to please be patient while the follow-up investigations are being conducted to determine the facts about what happened today,” Deck-Brown said Monday.
Twiddy has been with the department since November 2009 and is assigned to the Field Operations Division. Raleigh police said Twiddy has been place on administrative duty pending the completion of the SBI’s investigation.
The North Carolina chapter of the NAACP will hold a press conference Tuesday morning to address the fatal shooting.