A Granville County Sheriff’s deputy has been cleared in connection with an officer-involved shooting incident that left one man dead in February 2022.
District Attorney Michael D. Waters released a 7-page report Tuesday stating that “there is no legal basis for pursuing criminal prosecution in this matter.”
Sheriff’s deputies were called to a domestic disturbance at a home on Reavis Road on the afternoon of Feb. 9. Makari Jamel Smith had been at the home, but had left, armed with a shotgun. He later returned to the home, and law enforcement officials from the sheriff’s department and the town of Stovall were present as the situation unfolded.
According to the report from the District Attorney’s office, “the single most important piece of evidence” is the video footage that captured the interaction between the deputy and Smith. After some back-and-forth dialogue between the two, Smith raised the shotgun and shot at the deputy. The deputy fired three shots in response.
The report stated that deputies at the scene properly collected and secured the deputy’s gun and body-worn camera.
In his conclusion, Waters said the events leading to Smith’s death”should reinforce the need for continuing efforts of law enforcement to find more effective avenues to help defuse volatile situations that may arise during a mental health crisis.”
