GREENSBORO, N.C. — A Greensboro mother described the intense moments a strange man tried to force his way into her house before he died in police custody. The incident happened Monday morning at the 2200 block of Maybank Drive.
"It happened really fast. I thought he was going to break in and harm me and my kids and I didn't know what his intentions were," said Jessica Taylor who called 911 to report a breaking-and-entering.
Taylor was inside with her 4-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son.
Police identified the man who was trying to get into the house as 35-year-old, Aaron Michael Andrews.
"While I was telling the kids to go to the room, he was just shouting and banging on the door. Once I came back and was on the phone with 911 he began banging and kept ringing my doorbell incessantly, throwing some of my kids' toys that were on the porch and he was tossing them at the door."
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Taylor said Andrews behavior became more aggressive when he took the porch chairs and started banging at the door and railings. She said he sat in the chairs and would rock back and forth aggressively and then continued to bang at the door.
"I did my best to keep it together and I stood a little ways away from him but I wanted to keep my eyes on him and make sure he didn't come inside and all my thoughts were, he is going to break a window, and he is going to get inside and hurt me and the kids."
Taylor said she stayed on the phone with the 911 operator until police arrived.
According to Greensboro Police, when officers arrived they found Andrews acting erratically. They handcuffed him and asked EMS to evaluate him.
"They never shouted at him, they were just asking him, 'what are you on, are you ok, what did you take?'" At one point police were holding his legs because he was shaking and wrestling around," added Taylor.
Police said Andrews became unresponsive as medics brought him to the hospital and later died. The State Bureau of Investigation is now looking into the matter and the officers involved are on administrative duty, which is standard protocol.
Mayor Nancy Vaughan has requested the release of the police Body Cam footage.
Taylor's husband Casey was at work in Morehead City when his family came under threat. He said he dashed home as fast as he could.
"My son, he is a little freaked out over it but he took the initiative and took his sister to a bathroom and locked the door. I told him I was proud of him because he took the initiative and took care of his sister," said Casey Taylor.
Taylor said she heard Andrews speak when he tried getting into her home but could barely make out what he said.
"I heard him say 'mom' and that was one of the only words I understood and it's really sad because he was potentially just needing help," said Taylor.
"I am sad that he passed away and that his family lost someone that they loved and I wish he could have gotten help sooner."