White North Carolina police officer D.E. McGuire shot and killed black passenger Edward Van McCrae, 60, during a routine patrol stop late Friday night, the Associated Press reported. 

According to the AP, a Winston-Salem Police Department news release claimed McGuire stopped a car containing two men and one woman around 10:30 p.m. on March 30. McCrae was reportedly in the rear seat of the car. 

The police department alleges McCrae began making suspicious movements, the AP reported, and McGuire allegedly told the 60-year-old man to stop reaching for concealed areas of the vehicle. McGuire then removed McCrae from the vehicle. 

"After being removed from the vehicle, Mr. McCrae physically struggled with Officer McGuire and refused multiple verbal commands by Officer McGuire to ‘stop reaching,’” the release said according to the AP. “As the struggle continued, a handgun became visible to Officer McGuire.”

McGuire shot and killed McCrae after the 60-year-old allegedly refused commands to stop reaching for the gun, the release claimed. 

According to the release, McGuire reportedly used his body camera and called for backup. When officers and emergency medical personnel arrived, they reportedly tried to revive McCrae, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. McGuire, who has worked for the police department since 2015, has been placed on administrative duty, the AP reported. The State Bureau of Investigation is reportedly investigating the shooting.

Police-Violence