Onslow County’s district attorney has determined the police-involved shooting of a teenager in Jacksonville was justified and the detective that fired the shots was acting in self-defense.
On November 8th, a Jacksonville Police detective shot and killed Jorge Lopez, 17, after a car chase that ended in a crash.
D.A. Ernie Lee said there was an “armed encounter a short distance from the car” after it ended up in a ditch on Western Boulevard.
“The detective got closer to Lopez,” Lee explained, “He’s yelling at him, ‘Police, get on the ground.’ Lopez had gotten out of the vehicle. He says that the individual approached the officer and that the detective clearly observed a handgun in Lopez’s left hand.”
The detective told investigators that Lopez then turned toward him and raised the gun.
“The detective continued to give loud commands while the detective continued to point his firearm at Lopez. The detective stated that Lopez turned his body to face the detective while raising his left arm and point the handgun at the detective,” Lee said. “The detective says he fired four rounds in immediate succession at Lopez.”
Lopez was shot in the abdomen and later pronounced dead at Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune.