Wrongly Accused Father Gunned Down by Deputies in Unmarked Cars While His Kids Watch as False Tip Leads to Fatal Encounter

In North Carolina, deputies contend they shot and killed an innocent Black man, Malcolm Staton, following a reported drug stop in 2022. Staton, 30, was driving with his girlfriend and three children when law enforcement officers claimed he hit their patrol cars while attempting to escape. However, no drugs or firearms were discovered in his vehicle post-incident.Recently, a federal judge sanctioned a $3.25 million settlement for Staton’s family. During a press conference a month after the incident, Staton’s girlfriend reflected on the trauma experienced by their young daughter, who witnessed her father’s tragic death.Attorney Shean Williams, representing the family, criticized the deputies' recklessness, given the innocent passengers present in the car. Although body and dashboard camera footage was recorded, it remains undisclosed due to a judge’s ruling. Surveillance footage from a gas station only partially captured the chaotic context of the fatal encounter, which left the community questioning the justification behind such lethal force. (Photo: The Cochran Firm)