Case file
Killing of Andrew Brown Jr.
On April 21, 2021, Andrew Brown Jr., a 42-year-old Black man, was killed by a gunshot to the back of the head during an encounter with Pasquotank County Sheriff's deputies in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Deputies, including a tactical team, were serving search and arrest warrants related to alleged possession with intent to sell approximately three grams of cocaine when the shooting occurred. Seven deputies were placed on administrative leave following the incident. A private autopsy commissioned by Brown's family, conducted by pathologist Brent Hall, found Brown had been shot five times, including once in the back of the head and four times in his right arm. Brown's official death certificate listed the death as a homicide caused by a gunshot to the head.
Accounts of the shooting differed. After viewing a 20-second body camera clip, family attorney Chantel Cherry-Lassiter said Brown's hands were on the steering wheel and his car was stationary when shots were first fired, and that he was shot at again after crashing into a tree; she characterized the killing as an "execution." District Attorney Andrew Womble stated that Brown reversed and then drove his car forward, making contact with law enforcement officers on both occasions, and that shots were fired only after this contact; he called the family's account "patently false." A second family attorney, Chance Lynch, who later reviewed about 18 minutes of footage, said he did not see Brown's car initiate contact with deputies.
On May 5, 2021, Brown's family attorneys asked Womble to recuse himself, citing his office's location inside the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Department and Womble's working relationship with the sheriff and involved deputies. On May 18, 2021, Womble announced that the deputies who used deadly force acted reasonably and would not face criminal charges, and released about one minute of body camera footage. A judge, Jeffery Foster, had earlier blocked public release of the full roughly two hours of body camera footage for at least 30 days while allowing Brown's family to view redacted footage.
The FBI opened a civil rights investigation into Brown's death on April 27, 2021, working with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. Three deputies who fired their weapons—Daniel Meads, Robert Morgan, and Aaron Lewellyn—remained on administrative leave pending investigation; four other deputies who did not fire were cleared to return to duty.
The killing prompted weeks of protests in Elizabeth City, including a state of emergency declared by Mayor Bettie Parker and an incident in which a woman drove a car into protesters, leading to her arrest on felony assault charges. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper called for release of the body camera footage, and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said President Biden was aware of the situation. In July 2021, Brown's family filed a $30 million federal lawsuit against the sheriff's department; in June 2022, the family was awarded a $3 million settlement, approved by the Pasquotank County Board of Commissioners.
Key facts
- Victims
- Andrew Brown Jr.
- Date
- 2021
- Location
- Elizabeth City, North Carolina, United States
- Case status
- solved
Case timeline
2021-04-20
Arrest warrant issued for Andrew Brown Jr. for alleged possession with intent to sell approximately three grams of cocaine.
2021-04-21
Andrew Brown Jr. is fatally shot by Pasquotank County Sheriff's deputies while they served search and arrest warrants at his residence in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
2021-04-26
Brown family and attorney Chantel Cherry-Lassiter allowed to view a 20-second body camera clip of the shooting.
2021-04-27
FBI announces civil rights investigation into Brown's death.
2021-04-28
District Attorney Andrew Womble describes the incident before a judge; Judge Jeffery Foster orders body camera footage withheld from public release for at least 30 days while allowing the family to view redacted footage.
2021-04-29
Names of the seven deputies placed on administrative leave are released; four are cleared to return to duty.
2021-05-05
Brown family attorneys request that District Attorney Womble recuse himself, citing conflicts of interest.
2021-05-11
Attorney Chance Lynch and Brown's family view about 18 minutes of body camera footage and dispute the DA's account.
2021-05-18
District Attorney Andrew Womble announces deputies will not face criminal charges and releases about one minute of body camera footage.
2021-07
Brown's family files a $30 million federal lawsuit against the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Department.
2022-06
Brown's family is awarded a $3 million settlement, approved by the Pasquotank County Board of Commissioners.
Best coverage
No approved coverage links are attached yet.
People
Aaron Lewellyn
LAW ENFORCEMENTPasquotank County Sheriff's deputy who fired shots; placed on administrative leave pending investigation; not criminally charged.
Andrew Brown Jr.
VICTIM42-year-old Black man fatally shot by Pasquotank County Sheriff's deputies during the service of a search and arrest warrant.
Tommy Wooten II
LAW ENFORCEMENTPasquotank County Sheriff who described the operation and stated deputies were not injured.
Andrew Womble
LAW ENFORCEMENTDistrict Attorney who investigated the shooting and announced on May 18, 2021 that the deputies would not be criminally charged.
Daniel Meads
LAW ENFORCEMENTPasquotank County Sheriff's deputy who fired shots; placed on administrative leave pending investigation; not criminally charged.
Robert Morgan
LAW ENFORCEMENTPasquotank County Sheriff's deputy who fired shots; placed on administrative leave pending investigation; not criminally charged.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Archival records
unclassified
Andrew Brown protests in Graham, North Carolina
Credit: Anthony Crider · CC BY 2.0 · Source
unclassified
Andrew Brown Protest in Graham (2021 Apr 27) (51143500076)
Credit: Anthony Crider · CC BY 2.0 · Source
other document
Andrew Brown Protest in Graham (2021 Apr 27) (51143489331)
Credit: Anthony Crider · CC BY 2.0 · Source
unclassified
Andrew Brown Protest in Graham (2021 Apr 27) (51144597935)
Credit: Anthony Crider · CC BY 2.0 · Source
other document
Andrew Brown Protest in Graham (2021 Apr 27) (51144267879)
Credit: Anthony Crider · CC BY 2.0 · Source
other document
Andrew Brown Protest in Graham (2021 Apr 27) (51143704023)
Credit: Anthony Crider · CC BY 2.0 · Source
unclassified
Andrew Brown Protest in Graham (2021 Apr 27) (51144265414)
Credit: Anthony Crider · CC BY 2.0 · Source
unclassified
Andrew Brown Protest in Graham (2021 Apr 27) (51143493706)
Credit: Anthony Crider · CC BY 2.0 · Source
unclassified
Andrew Brown Protest in Graham (2021 Apr 27) (51144607375)
Credit: Anthony Crider · CC BY 2.0 · Source
unclassified
Andrew Brown Protest in Graham (2021 Apr 27) (51143712173)
Credit: Anthony Crider · CC BY 2.0 · Source
Places
Common questions
- What happened to the victim?
- On April 21, 2021, Andrew Brown Jr., a 42-year-old Black man, was fatally shot in the back of the head by Pasquotank County Sheriff's deputies serving a drug-related search and arrest warrant in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The District Attorney found the deputies' use of deadly force justified and declined to file charges.
- Where did the killing happen?
- Elizabeth City, North Carolina, United States.
- What is the current status of the case?
- Status: solved. Last verified July 2026.
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Sources
- ENCYCLOPEDICKilling of Andrew Brown Jr.Wikipedia · 2026-07-07
- PRESSContemporaneous coverage — CNNCNN · 2026-07-07
- PRESSContemporaneous coverage — Associated PressAssociated Press · 2026-07-07
Record history
- First published
- JUL 07, 2026
- Last verified against sources
- JUL 07, 2026