Monday evening hundreds of people gathered at the site where a man was shot by a police officer that afternoon on Bragg Street in Raleigh, North Carolina.

At a press conference following the shooting, Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown disclosed that Senior Officer D.C. Twiddy, the officer in question, was chasing the victim 29-year-old Akiel Denkins on foot and Denkins was ultimately shot and killed by the officer.

Photo: Newsday
Photo: Newsday

The reason behind the chase, according to ABC11, is officers tried to serve Denkins a warrant for his arrest based on a felony drug charge. An unidentified witness told WRAL as the foot chase pursued, Denkins jumped over a fence in which Twiddy jumped over as well but when Denkins leaped over a second taller fence, Twiddy could not make it over and instead began to fire his gun instead.

Police did not identify the man after his death but his mother, Rolanda Byrd, told sources on the scene that her son was shot by the officer. Byrd was initially informed by her cousin who called her and told her the gruesome news of her son’s death at the hands of the white officer. His mother also mentioned that several witnesses also confirmed the story that her son was unarmed and shot in the back seven times by Twiddy.

At the press conference, Police Chief Deck-Brown said a gun was found near Denkins body but several eyewitnesses said they did not see him with a gun and if he did have one, it was never pulled out.

Rally and vigil underway near the site of today's deadly police shooting in southeast Raleigh

Posted by Joel Brown WTVD on Monday, February 29, 2016

During a vigil that took place 7PM Monday evening, many people spoke about Denkins and shared memories they had of the beloved community man, including Rev. Chris Jones of Ship of Zion, a church in the neighborhood. Jones said despite Denkins notable flaws, he was still a good man, a good father and loved by many.

Since the shooting, organizations such as the ACLU of North Carolina and the NAACP have stepped up in order to help Byrd get the answers she is seeking regarding her son’s untimely death. At this time, it has been reported that Byrd still has not seen her son’s body and was stopped when she went to the medical examiner’s office.

The State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) will be looking into the shooting, and Deck-Brown said she will have her report to the city council within five days.

Photo: newsobservers
Photo: newsobservers

The Raleigh City Council was scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss the police officers wearing body cameras while on duty but the item was removed from their agenda after the shooting took place.

Photo: getty
Photo: getty

Wake County district attorney Lorrin Freeman said she instructed the SBI to conduct a thorough investigations after she learned about the shooting. She also informed the public as information surfaces they will release it but they also ask for patience as they work to get all viable information.

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