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February 10, 2015

North Carolina: Police Kill Elderly Black Man During Welfare Check 
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Police in Gastonia, North Carolina, have shot and killed a 74-year-old
African-American Army veteran after his family asked the police to check
on him. Relatives of James Howard Allen asked police to perform a
welfare check because Allen had recently undergone heart surgery. Police
first arrived at about 10:20 p.m. Saturday night, but Allen did not
answer. They returned about an hour later with the fire department and
forced his door open. Police say Allen, who was reportedly hard of
hearing, pointed a gun at Officer Josh Lefevers, who then opened fire.
Allen's sister Mary Battle told local news station WSOC her brother
likely thought someone was breaking into his house in the middle of the
night.

Mary Battle: "I am so hurt that he had to die like this. ... Maybe the
police was frightened. Maybe they were. I don't know. But he wouldn't
hurt a fly."

The officer has been placed on paid administrative leave pending
investigations by police and the State Bureau of Investigations.

 

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