WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – No law enforcement will be facing charges in connection to the fatal shooting by deputies that killed 34-year-old Steven Ryan Todd on June 13.
The announcement was made at a press conference on July 19 regarding the shooting where deputies fired 51 times at a man who had crashed into a police vehicle, according to District Attorney Ben David.
David said in June that the incident started as an attempted traffic stop Thursday evening, June 13, in connection to a stolen truck, boat and two stolen guns. The law enforcement narrative says that another stop was attempted at around 11 p.m. and then he hit a law enforcement vehicle head-on at South Kerr Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard.
After the crash, three New Hanover County deputies fired dozens of times at Todd and killed him.
In the statement of facts following the State Bureau of Investigation investigation, the DA’s office says that Todd attempted to hit an officer with his truck earlier in the evening on Thursday. The statement says Todd did not comply with Wilmington Police Department officers’ attempts to pull him over and that detectives were told that Todd had been convicted of crimes before and was on supervised probation for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
In the second attempt to pull Todd over, the DA’s office says officers tried to box him in but he drove around the vehicles, then another officer attempted to slam into Todd’s vehicle to stop it unsuccessfully. His vehicle got stock in the rear parking lot of the Harris Teeter at South Kerr Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard.
According to the statement, detectives left their cars and drew their guns and one of them said he heard the truck revving.
The statement says a detective opened the doors and told Todd to show his hands, and other detectives told him to do so as well. He then moved to the passenger seat of the car. Per the statement, Todd ignored these commands and tried to reach for something in the front or rear passenger area, and so the officers “believed their lives were in danger and opened fire.”
The statement says he was shot 28 times and fired at 51 times.
“The picture that emerges from reviewing all of the evidence in this case is clear: Todd’s actions threatened the lives of the multiple deputies and any citizens in that area. Detectives acted appropriately under the law when they used deadly force to protect themselves and those around them,” said David in a press release.
David says following this incident he suggests body cameras for detectives. Austin Wilson, a long-time friend of Todd’s says he thinks body cameras would have helped in this case saying he understands the situation but there are a lot of “what-if” questions.
“Use of deadly force is the only option sometimes and I understand that. Do I feel that it was excessive? Yes,” said Wilson. “It’s just an unfortunate situation and I really, I knew him very well it’s just sad at the end of the day,” he added Austin.
You can read the full statement of facts below.
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