The Archdale police officer who shot and killed junior Courtland Smith was justified in his action because he believed his and another officer's life to be endangered, Randolph County District Attorney Garland Yates said today in a statement.
The statement says officer Jeremy Paul Flinchum shot Smith four times after repeatedly asking him to back away from the officers and show his hands. When Smith repeatedly ignored these requests, approached the officers and quickly drew a black item from behind his back, Flinchum shot.
Smith was not armed, despite earlier comments made to a 911 dispatcher that he had a gun. Police found a black Blackberry phone next to the location where he was shot, the release states.
"Given the totality of circumstances, Officer Flinchum's belief that he faced an imminent use of deadly force from Courtland Smith when he fired his service pistol was entirely reasonable," Yates said in the release.
The report also notes a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey was in Smith's gray Toyota 4Runner, and that he had sent an e-mail to family earlier that night indicating suicidal intent.
Just after 4:30 a.m. on Aug. 23, Flichum and officer Chris Jones, in separate patrol cars, pulled over Smith's vehicle on I-85 south, after being notified by Archdale Police Department Communications that Smith was possibly suicidal, intoxicated and armed with a 9 mm handgun.
Smith exited his car about 15 seconds after stopping on the shoulder of the highway. Both officers drew their pistols and gave Smith repeated directions to stay in the car and show his hands as Smith walked toward the officers with one or both of his hands behind his back.
"At one point the officers warned Mr. Smith that because of his actions he was about to get shot," Yates said in the release.
Both officers retreated behind Jones' car while giving the commands. Smith walked backward to his car and leaned into the driver's side.
