PASQUOTANK COUNTY, N.C. — Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten has advised the deputies who were involved in the Andrew Brown Jr. shooting to take precautions or temporarily relocate for their safety.
Wooten named all seven deputies that had a part in the search warrant execution and deadly shooting in Elizabeth City on April 21. Three of them are still on administrative leave after Wooten said they fired their weapons in the shooting. The other four are back at work.
Before releasing the identities of all seven, he told them they should think about staying somewhere else for the time being or take on other safety precautions. Wooten doesn't know if they took the advice.
"We don't know how the individual deputies responded to that suggestion but hope they're safe," Wooten said.
The Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office confirmed several reports of "unknown vehicles or people outside their homes" as well as "general threats" towards the office and its deputies.
“At least one of the deputies and another county official reported unknown vehicles or people outside their homes. Some internet websites have posted detailed information about the deputies that makes their home addresses known," Wooten stated. "This is dangerous…Additionally, we've heard many general threats (e.g., "I'm going to shoot a sheriff today" or "release the tapes or else"). We've also had to speak to people who received threats because of mistaken identities.”
A deputy is investigating calls of suspicious people or cars near other deputies' homes.