Kouren Rodney Thomas shooting: Black man killed by self-styled neighborhood watchman - TomoNews
- 8 years ago
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — A black man was shot and killed early Sunday morning outside a house party in Raleigh, North Carolina by a white resident who claimed he was on “neighborhood watch.”
The victim, 20-year-old Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas, was with a friend at a house party at 1 a.m. early Sunday morning when he was gunned down by 39-year-old Chad Cameron Copley, according to a report in the News & Observer.
Copley called 911 and said “a bunch of hoodlums” were racing around around outside shouting profanities. He told the dispatcher he was quote, “locked and loaded.”
Meanwhile, Thomas and his friend were about to leave the party. Thomas, who had marijuana on him, thought he saw police lights and decided to flee, according to the Washington Post.
Copley called 911 again, saying he had “fired a warning shot” and “we got somebody that got hit.”
“I fired my warning shot like I’m supposed to by law,” he continued. “They do have firearms, and I’m trying to protect myself and my family. Please just send a car. There’s friggin’ black males outside my friggin’ house with firearms. Please, send PD. Thank you.”
Thomas’s friend David Walker told ABC News that no one at the party had a gun and no one had shouted profanities.
When police arrived at the scene, they saw Thomas lying on the ground. He was later pronounced dead at WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh.
Police arrested Copley at the scene. He was taken to Wake County jail and has been charged with first-degree murder. He could face death penalty if convicted.
Thomas’ mother Munyir Simone Butler Thomas has created a GoFundMe page to cover his funeral expenses.
The victim, 20-year-old Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas, was with a friend at a house party at 1 a.m. early Sunday morning when he was gunned down by 39-year-old Chad Cameron Copley, according to a report in the News & Observer.
Copley called 911 and said “a bunch of hoodlums” were racing around around outside shouting profanities. He told the dispatcher he was quote, “locked and loaded.”
Meanwhile, Thomas and his friend were about to leave the party. Thomas, who had marijuana on him, thought he saw police lights and decided to flee, according to the Washington Post.
Copley called 911 again, saying he had “fired a warning shot” and “we got somebody that got hit.”
“I fired my warning shot like I’m supposed to by law,” he continued. “They do have firearms, and I’m trying to protect myself and my family. Please just send a car. There’s friggin’ black males outside my friggin’ house with firearms. Please, send PD. Thank you.”
Thomas’s friend David Walker told ABC News that no one at the party had a gun and no one had shouted profanities.
When police arrived at the scene, they saw Thomas lying on the ground. He was later pronounced dead at WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh.
Police arrested Copley at the scene. He was taken to Wake County jail and has been charged with first-degree murder. He could face death penalty if convicted.
Thomas’ mother Munyir Simone Butler Thomas has created a GoFundMe page to cover his funeral expenses.