UPDATED October 7, 2018, at 12:30 p.m. EDT–Release on Friday of a recorded 911 call by the security guard suspected of fatally shooting North Carolina Central University senior DeAndre Ballard on Sept. 17 still leaves some unanswered questions, according to Campus Echo, NCCU’s official student newspaper.
“Despite the 911 calls giving more information on the fatal shooting from the officers’ perspectives, the new details bring into question the motivation behind DeAndre Ballard’s alleged actions,” the newspaper said. “Ballard’s friends and family have indicated that this sort of behavior would be completely out of character for him.”
Protesters rallied Friday outside the detective agency that employed the security guard who was assigned to the off-campus housing facility where Ballard lived. They demanded charges against the guard.
But so far, Durham Mayor Steve Schewel has urged patience in the aftermath of what he called a tragic shooting.
“It is clear that many still desire more concrete answers as to what led up to, caused and followed Ballard’s death. Until then, the public waits for an official statement from Durham police as to what will happen next in the investigation,” the newspaper added.
Original Story:
After nearly 3 weeks since the shooting of North Carolina Central University senior DeAndre Ballard on Sept. 17, the 911 call has finally been released. Ballard was shot by an unidentified security guard who worked at Campus Crossing Apartments, where he worked and Ballard lived.
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According to ABC 11, a 911 call was released yesterday. The security guard who fatally shot DeAndre Ballard, 23, said on the call, “Alright so, I’m sitting in my car. I see this guy trying to get inside somebody else’s car. I said, ‘Hey man what’s going on?’ He jumped me, he jumped me inside my car, he starts trying to fight me or whatever and tried to reach, tried to reach for my gun and that’s when I think I had shot him.”
Listen below:
ABC 11 also reports, “The NC Detective Agency says it’s supporting the security officer’s claim of self-defense and no charges have been filed. They say it’s the first deadly encounter for the agency and for the guard who’s been employed for 15 years.” The security guard has not been fired.
There have been campus protests at NCCU, including a walkout organized by Jamie Lyn Riggin. She said, “We don’t stand for things like this to continue to happen. “We have pride here as Eagles, and if we are gonna soar, we are gonna soar as one,” she said, referring to the university’s mascot. See below:
Kevin Ladd, vice president of the N.C. Detective Agency, told the Herald Sun on Sept. 24, “We fully, 100 percent stand by his actions because this was self-defense. In our eyes this is a tragic accident. It never should have gotten to this, but our officer was fearful for his life.”
NCCU said in a statement on Sept. 27, “The NCCU police department officers have no jurisdiction or connection with the Campus Crossings apartment complex nor with the security officer involved in the incident. NCCU does not endorse or recommend any specific rental property for students. Additionally, the university does not utilize the security services of the N.C. Detective Agency and does not hire any officers employed with this particular agency.”
Rest in power, DeAndre Ballard.
SEE ALSO:
Dallas Refuses To Release Amber Guyger’s 911 Call
Police Reportedly Shoot Black Man In The Back More Than A Dozen Times
