CHARLOTTE, N.C. — An unarmed man shot by police as he sought help after a car crash had moved to North Carolina to be with his fiancee and was working two jobs, his family said Monday.
Family members said at a news conference that Jonathan A. Ferrell, 24, had lived in the Charlotte area for less than a year and was likely unfamiliar with the area he was driving when he crashed early Saturday.
Police were called after the former Florida A&M University football player knocked on the door of a home near the crash. He was hit with a Taser as he approached officers and then shot, resulting in a voluntary manslaughter charge against one of the officers. A first appearance was scheduled for the officer on Tuesday after being postponed by a day.
Ferrell’s mother said she was praying for the officer, Randall Kerrick.
“I truly forgive him. I pray for him. And I pray that he gets off the police force,” Georgia Ferrell said. “You took a piece of my heart that I can never get back.”
Georgia Ferrell and her son Willie traveled to Charlotte from Florida along with their attorney to meet with police officials.
Police determined the shooting was excessive and charged Kerrick on Saturday. A police statement Saturday said the investigation showed “Kerrick did not have a lawful right to discharge his weapon during this encounter.”
