ELIZABETH CITY, N.C.—The Pasquotank County Sheriff released the names of three deputies who fired their weapons during last week’s fatal shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. and said they would remain on administrative leave pending further investigation.
Four other deputies who were put on leave after the shooting returned to active duty, Sheriff Tommy Wooten said Thursday and released their names as well.
Mr. Brown, a 42-year-old Black man, was shot five times on April 21 by deputies as they attempted to serve drug-related search and arrest warrants, authorities said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has opened a civil-rights investigation into the shooting.
“After carefully examining the body camera footage of the incident with my own staff, it’s obvious that four of the deputies never fired their weapons and deserve to be reinstated,” Sheriff Wooten said in a news release.
Sheriff Wooten said those who fired their weapons include Daniel “Ryan” Meads, who worked in drug investigations and who filed an April 20 warrant seeking Mr. Brown’s arrest. Mr. Meads, who joined the force in 2015, said he sought to arrest Mr. Brown and search his house and cars after law-enforcement officers arranged and recorded an informant’s recent drug buys of crack cocaine and methamphetamine, according to the warrant.