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A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 22 March 2022
Brother: Man shot by deputy struggled with mental illness

MICHELLE LIU An incident report filed by
Associated Press an officer who arrived af-
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The ter the shooting says that
brother of a Black man a person who called 911
shot to death by a deputy said Moorer Charley was
in South Carolina over the assaulting her mother and
weekend says he begged that he had a knife.
the deputy not to shoot Ivan Charley also disputed
and warned of the man’s that account, saying no
mental health issues be- knife was ever involved.
forehand. He said his brother had be-
Authorities have said depu- come agitated and fought
ties were responding to with family members inside
a domestic violence call their mother’s house but
when 34-year-old Irvin D. had already calmed down
Moorer Charley advanced by the time the deputies ar-
upon them with a wooden rived.
stake outside a Columbia But when he saw the depu-
home Saturday, and an ties, Moorer Charley picked
attempt to use a stun gun up the wooden stake and
failed to stop him from In this image from the body camera video of Richland County Sherrif’s Deputy John Anderson, Irvin slowly walked out of the
charging at an officer. D. Moorer Charley, 34, holds a piece of wood as he walks towards Anderson, who is backpedaling, house into the yard, Ivan
Moorer Charley’s brother, in Columbia, S.C. Charley said.
Ivan Charley, spoke to The Associated Press Ivan Charley spoke Mon-
Associated Press on Mon- day from the yard of his
day and said he was out- a stick in his hand,” Ivan was inside with a knife, Lott the full body camera foot- mother’s home, where it
side when the first deputy Charley said. “It’s a stick. said. age Monday. had all taken place.
arrived. Ivan Charley says ... It’s still wood, and it’s not The sheriff’s office released Richland County Coro- Moorer Charley led a life
he told the deputy — iden- made of bullets.” a short clip of body cam- ner Naida Rutherford said complicated by mental ill-
tified by authorities as John A second deputy, later era video where Ander- deputies tried to use a stun ness that contributed to
Anderson — that his broth- identified by authorities as son repeatedly yells at gun but it did not stick to the frequent fights he had
er was having a mental Zachary Hentz, arrived and Moorer Charley to “Drop Moorer Charley’s skin. Lott with his family, his younger
health crisis, and asked him immediately approached the weapon!” as Moorer said that immediately af- brother said.
not to shoot. with his gun up and pointed Charley walks toward the ter that, Moorer Charley “We loved to fight each
Ivan Charley said his broth- toward the house, Charley deputy, who is slowly back- charged Hentz, who shot other but we loved each
er was not a threat to family said. pedaling. The sheriff’s de- him four times. other. That’s all I know,”
members when the depu- Richland County Sheriff partment has declined to “It was a very close en- Ivan Charley said.
ties arrived, adding he was Leon Lott defended the release the entire video to counter,” Lott said, saying The police were often
only holding a stake. Moore deputies’ actions in a Sun- the public, but the sheriff Hentz kept shooting until called, said Ivan Charley.
Charley was advancing so day news conference, not- said he would play it for Moorer Charley dropped But in prior instances, of-
slowly that deputies could ing that the deputies were the prosecutor, the de- to the ground, and that the ficers never exited the car
have used other methods protecting themselves in a partment’s citizen advisory last shot was from less than with their guns drawn, in-
to subdue him, his brother dangerous situation. Multi- board and for the family. 3 feet (1 meter) away. He stead talking to Moorer
argued. ple people had said Moorer Attorneys for Moorer Char- said deputies tried to resus- Charley “with common
“He was still alive, but y’all Charley had injured them ley’s relatives said they citate Moorer Charley until sense” and sometimes giv-
killed him because he had and said Moorer Charley were scheduled to view an ambulance arrived. ing him rides elsewhere.q

Rain finally in forecast for Texas areas

scorched by fires

The fires were already “The rain will relieve how had been destroyed.
blamed for the deaths of dry it is in those grassy areas In southwest Oklahoma on
two firefighters — one in prone to fires,” she said. Sunday, a 55-year-old fire-
Texas and one in Okla- “Unfortunately, Monday is fighter died after becom-
homa. The largest of the the only day we’re seeing ing separated from her ve-
fires, known as the East- any rain for the foreseeable hicle while fighting a wild-
land Complex, had burned future, and the windy days fire, officials said. The cause
nearly 85 square miles (220 will continue.” of death for April Partridge,
square kilometers) in an Another fire prompted who was with the commu-
area around 120 miles (193 evacuations of several nity of Edgewater Park’s
kilometers) west of Dallas small towns in Hood Coun- volunteer fire department,
and was 30% contained as ty, about 75 miles (121 kilo- will be determined by the
of Sunday. meters) southwest of Dal- state medical examiner’s
Jared Calvert exits the former Ranger Law Enforcement Center National Weather Service las. That blaze, known as office, officials said.
in Ranger, Texas Friday March 18, 2022.
Associated Press meteorologist Monique the Big L fire, had burned And in Texas, Deputy Sgt.
Sellers told The Dallas Morn- about 9 square miles (23 Barbara Fenley died last
EASTLAND, Texas (AP) tem moving through could ing News that about an square kilometers) and was week while going door-
— Wildfires continued to bring much-needed rain inch (2.5 centimeters) of 5% contained. to-door telling residents
scorch parts of Texas on but also strong winds, fore- rain was predicted Mon- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to evacuate, authorities
Monday, and a storm sys- casters said. day in Eastland County. said Friday that 50 homes said.q