NAACP holds town hall meeting to discuss community concerns with CMPD

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One by one, members of the Charlotte community told their stories and voiced their concerns about the relationship between Charlotte Mecklenburg police officers and the public.

Charlotte's NAACP called the town hall meeting in the wake of the shooting death of 24-year-old Jonathan Ferrell on Sept. 14.

Police said Ferrell, who was unarmed, ran toward officers in the middle of the night in an east Charlotte neighborhood.

Officer Randall Kerrick opened fire on Ferrell, striking him 10 times.

Kerrick's attorney said he was afraid for his life, but Police Chief Rodney Monroe called the shooting excessive. Members of the NAACP agreed.

  "Everybody, black or white, should be concerned about this. This is the loss of a human life at the hands of someone who's supposed to protect you," said Dr. Barber.

Kerrick has been charged with voluntary manslaughter in the case, but members of the NAACP say those charges are not severe enough. They're pushing for murder charges against the officer.

"This is bitter this is a bitter hard pill and we must do the right thing in Charlotte," said a resident.

"We've got to go to the ballot box; we've got to change this situation. It's not a black thing, it's not a white thing, it's not a color thing, it's a people thing," said one resident.

Eyewitness News has been following this unprecedented case since day one.

Right now, the North Carolina Attorney General's Office is investigating Kerrick's case.

It needs to determine if Kerrick used justifiable force when he shot and killed Ferrell.

Police said Ferrell crashed his car, and then went to a house asking for help earlier this month.

A woman inside called 911 saying Ferrell might be trying to break in.

WSOC