GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Guilford County District Attorney's Office announced Monday that a Greensboro Police Officer was justified when he used deadly force in an incident that left a 31-year-old man dead back in May.
On May 18, officers responded to the LeMans at Lawndale Apartment homes in response to an armed person. When they arrived, they found Gerald Pinckney, 31, who was displaying what appeared to be a gun.
Officers gave repeated commands for Pinckney to drop the weapon. Police said Pincnkney ignored these commands and started walking toward officers with the weapon in hand before he was shot by Officer J. Perez. Pinckney later died from his injuries.
"Based on the findings presented, Officer Perez’s use of deadly force under these circumstances was justified by both the common law principle of self-defense and by the statutory provisions of NCGS 15A-401(d)(2), which permits the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer to defend himself or another from what he believes to be the imminent use of deadly force," a statement from the District Attorney's office said.
Perez will not face criminal charges for the shooting.
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