A North Carolina police officer was indicted this week on a second degree murder charge for an on-duty shooting that took place late last month.
The state Bureau of Investigation said it had been asked to investigate the June 26 shooting by the Newton Police Department.
Carlos Alberto Uribe, a Newton police lieutenant, appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon to address the charges against him. He quickly paid a $100,000 bond and was released, as reported by WJZY.
During the court session, prosecutors presented their argument, stating that Uribe used excessive force when he fatally shot 21-year-old Camden Childers. Newton police officers had tried to stop Childers, who was on his motorcycle, after they caught him speeding and driving recklessly. The officers pursued Childers on three separate occasions before trapping him in a cul-de-sac.
At that juncture, Childers collided with a patrol car. Another officer instructed him to raise his hands, which he complied with. Footage from body and dash cameras revealed that his hands were empty, and there was no evidence suggesting he was armed.
But then, Uribe kicked Childers in the stomach, knocking him to ground, and fired a shot into his chest,fatally wounding him.
“That’s what you get for going for an officer’s gun,” prosecutors said Uribe said on the scene.
Prosecutors said the camera footage did not show Childers going for an officer’s gun, Law&Crime reported.
Uribe was placed on administrative leave without pay at the time of the incident, where he remains. Newton Police said they were also conducting an internal investigation.
District Attorney Scott Reilly told WJZY that he had previously reviewed about 15 officer-involved shootings, and each time found the use of force to be justified.
“I have great respect for the professionalism and restraint shown by the men and women in law enforcement throughout our district, even in the most dangerous of situations,” he said. “I recognize the difficulty and gravity of the decisions officers face on a daily basis.
“When the line is crossed – when excessive or unlawful force results in a loss of life – my obligation is to the law and to justice,” Reilly continued. “That duty requires accountability, regardless of profession or position. Justice is about fairness, due process and equal application of the law. No one is above the law, and no one is beneath its protection.”
According to Law&Crime, Uribe’s terms of release require him to surrender his passport and have no contact with Childers’ family.
