NC Autopsy Of Andrew Brown Jr. Confirms Fatal Back-Of-Head Wound

ELIZABETH CITY, NC — Andrew Brown Jr. died from a fatal gunshot to the back of his head, an official state autopsy report confirmed Thursday.

Brown, who was unarmed, was killed in a vehicle outside his home April 21 by Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office deputies as he attempted to drive away. The deputies were attempting to serve an arrest and search warrant on drug charges.

Brown's death at the hands of law enforcement has sparked weeks of ongoing protests and calls for greater transparency into the actions of deputies in the moments leading up to his death. Pasquotank County District Attorney Andrew Womble said last month he determined the shooting that led to Brown's death was justified and that no officers would be criminally charged. In announcing the decision, Womble reiterated that he would not release the police body camera footage, either.

The autopsy report, released June 10 by the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, mirrored earlier findings of a private autopsy conducted at the behest of Brown's family.

“Vehicle has multiple gunshot holes to the back glass, trunk and on the passenger side rear door and windshield," the Medical Examiner report said. Gunshot wounds were found in the lower back of Brown's head and in his upper right arm, and there was a small wound on his upper right leg, according to the report.

Attorneys representing the family said Thursday they learned of the official autopsy findings not from authorities, but from media reports.

SEE ALSO: Sheriff's Deputy Involved In Andrew Brown, Jr. Shooting Resigns

“The autopsy results prove what we’ve always known to be true: Pasquotank County deputies executed Andrew Brown Jr. with a kill shot to the back of the head," the attorneys said in a statement.

“While we are not surprised by the findings, we are both astounded and disgusted that the authorities in this case didn’t even have the decency to share these results with the family – we were alerted of their release by the media," the family attorneys said. “Every single opportunity DA Womble has had to do the right thing, he’s taken the route of cowardice and deceit. Shame on him."

Last week, a deputy placed on administrative leave after he fired his service weapon during the fatal shooting resigned from the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office.

Immediately following the incident, seven deputies were placed on administrative leave, but four returned to duty after an internal review indicated they had not fired their guns. Until last week, three officers — Deputy Daniel Meads, Deputy Robert Morgan and Deputy Aaron Lewellyn — remained on administrative leave. Meads returned to work Tuesday, June 1. Morgan returned the day after.

"[Lewellyn] has informed this office that he is resigning effective June 30, 2021," Sheriff Tommy Wooten said, adding the deputy would be using accrued leave until then.

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