Man killed during gunfire exchange with Locust police was traumatized, brother says

LOCUST, N.C. — The brother of a man who was killed in an exchange of gunfire with Locust police in May said the deadly encounter all started with a noise complaint months before.

Jerome Gales said his brother, Michael Angelo Gales, 37, was shot with a stun gun, dragged out of his car and handcuffed after neighbors complained about loud music in January.

That incident pushed Michael Gales over the edge, his brother said.

“While it looks like my brother was all 100% the person in the wrong, he wasn’t because they had an opportunity to talk to him,” Jerome Gales said. “(To) understand his point of view and mend things and get an understanding and give him some assurance, ‘Hey, we’re not going to hurt you.’”

In the video at the top of this webpage, Jerome Gales explains that his brother was traumatized by the incident, which could have led to the fatal shooting.

(Watch the video below: Driver shot during gunfire exchange with officer in Locust, police say)

Driver shot during gunfire exchange with officer in Locust, police say

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