Both officers were cleared of any wrongdoing by the Guilford County District Attorney.
GREENSBORO, N.C. — On Tuesday, the Greensboro Police Department released body camera footage of multiple officer-involved shootings that occurred earlier this year.
The first incident occurred on the morning of May 18 when officers were dispatched to the LeMans at Lawndale Apartments on a call about a man in the parking lot with a gun.
In the bodycam footage, an officer arrives at the apartment complex and finds 32-year-old Gerald Layton Pinckney standing on a sidewalk near the parking lot. The officer tells Pinckney, “You’re not in trouble, come here.” When Pinckney doesn’t comply, the officer draws his gun and asks Pinckney, “Where’s the gun?”
With the officer’s gun aimed at him, Pinckney appears to reach for something in his waistband, prompting the officer to retreat behind a parked car while commanding the 32-year-old to, “Drop it.”
Pinckney continues to advance toward the officer, who orders him to drop his weapon several times before saying, “I’m going to shoot you.” Pinckney continues to move toward the officer before the officer fires his weapon twice and hits Pinckney.
Pinckney was transported to a local hospital for treatment but died of his injuries, and the gun was found to be a .177 BB air pistol. In October, the Guilford County District Attorney said the officer was justified in his use of deadly force.
The second incident happened on June 26 when officers were dispatched to Crestridge Road about a “domestic situation” between 28-year-old Titus Kopp, his grandmother and her daughter.
The grandmother reported to dispatch that Kopp had “broken into her home, was ransacking her home, and was threatening to kill [his grandmother], her daughter and himself,” according to the Guilford County District Attorney’s office.
In the bodycam footage, a responding officer finds the grandmother sitting on the curb outside her residence in a state of panic. She explains the situation to the officer, and they start moving up the driveway toward the home.
As the officer is moving up the driveway, Kopp appears from the front entrance of the home holding a knife. Kopp then states, “I have no intention of living,” before starting down the front steps toward the officer.
As Kopp moves toward him, the officer yells, “Put down the knife,” before firing his gun twice and hitting Kopp. The officer then goes to Kopp’s side to render aid.
Kopp was transported to a local hospital but died of his injuries. A silver kitchen knife was found in the driveway after the incident.
In October, the Guilford County District Attorney ruled that the officer’s use of force was justified.
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