White Officer Shot Unarmed Black Man Holding Phone

Deputy mistook phone for gun
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Apr 25, 2021 5:45 AM CDT
Deputy Who Shot Isaiah Brown Mistook Phone For Gun
Spotsylvania County Sheriff Roger Harris explaining the body camera footage and 911 audio released late Friday   (Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Body camera footage and 911 audio released late Friday appeared to show that an unidentified Virginia deputy mistook a cordless house phone held by a Black man for a gun before the deputy shot him repeatedly, per the AP. Family members said Isaiah Brown, 32, was in intensive care with 10 bullet wounds following the shooting outside a home in Spotsylvania County early Wednesday, WRC-TV reported. The body camera video shows the deputy arriving at the scene and yelling at Brown to show his hands. The deputy then yells, “drop the gun,” multiple times and appears to say over his radio, “he’s got a gun to his head.” The deputy then yells, “stop walking towards me, stop walking towards me” and “stop, stop” before firing at least seven shots.

The deputy had earlier given Brown a ride home after his car broke down. At some point later, 911 was called. Isaiah Brown is heard on the call saying his brother won’t let him into his mother's room in the house. Brown then says, “alright, give me the gun” to which his brother is heard in the background saying, “no.” The dispatcher asks what’s going on, and Brown replied “I’m about to kill my brother." The dispatcher says “don’t kill your brother,” and asks Brown multiple times if he’s armed. He says no. The deputy arrived shortly after and can be heard yelling at Brown on the 911 audio. After the shots are fired, the deputy is heard rendering aid to Brown and instructing the brother to get a first aid kit out of his patrol vehicle. It’s unclear whether the deputy knew Brown told the dispatcher he wasn’t armed. The deputy has been placed on administrative leave. (More Isaiah Brown stories.)

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