‘Wanting to murder her’: Family of Shelby woman punched during arrest speaks out

SHELBY, N.C. — The family of a woman who was punched repeatedly by a police officer in Shelby says they’re grateful he has been fired.

The woman’s family and protesters spoke out Friday demanding accountability after that officer was initially suspended.

The incident was caught on a woman’s doorbell camera.

“Actually, I was in the bed and I heard my camera kept going off,” the woman said. She didn’t want her face shown. She knew it was important for the community to see the video, but was surprised when it went viral.

“I didn’t expect for it to go this far,” she said. “I really didn’t. We were just trying to get it out so people could see what was going on.”

The victim, 34-year-old Cherrie Moore, was released from jail on Friday.

“This man is supposed to protect, but he choses to, like he was wanting to murder her,” the victim’s father, Gregory Moore said. “Thank God it was cameras out there.”

At one point in the video, you can hear Cherrie Moore ask for her father’s help.

“That hurt me. I bust out in tears ‘cause I wasn’t there for her,” Gregory Moore said. “But God was. Jesus was there for her.”

On Saturday morning, the police chief and other city officials announced on Facebook live that the officer had been fired. They did not name the officer or say how long he worked with the department.

“So we’re just glad about that, first of all the he no longer works there,” said Michael Moore, the victim’s uncle. “Of course we’re looking for some other things to happen, that number one he be charged.”

That’s the same demand protestors were calling for Friday. Gregory Moore also wants the officer to think.

“And I wonder, do he have a daughter or kids and how would he feel if the shoe was on the other foot,” said Gregory Moore.

He tells us his daughter has been sleeping, trying to recover from her injuries. Although she was released from jail, at this point her charges have not been dismissed.

Cherrie Moore was charged with burglary, resisting arrest and assault on an officer.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is investigating her arrest.

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