Mecklenburg DA Investigates Deadly Officer-Involved Shooting
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CHARLOTTE, NC — The Mecklenburg District Attorney is reviewing the case of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer who killed a woman Wednesday while responding to a domestic violence call at her home. It’s the officer’s third on-the-job shooting in the last two and a half years.
Janisha Fonville had a knife, police say, when Officer Anthony Holzhauer shot and killer her inside her apartment off Bellafonte Dr.
“I feel like he’s wrong. Period. Point blank,” said the victim’s friend, Cheyenne Smith.
It’s a situation Officer Holzhauer has been in twice before, starting in 2012 when he killed Ernestine Laney’s son, Michael Laney.
“He done it again; he done that, it again,” said Ernestine Laney.
Her son was an armed robbery suspect who was scuffling with the officer.
In 2013, Officer Holzhauer shot at three armed men who first shot at him. No one died in that case.
“Take him off that police force,” said Ernestine Laney. “I hope they bring justice to him. I hope they do what they have to do to him. He needs to pay for what he’s done.”
This time, CMPD Police Chief Rodney Monroe says Officer Holzhauer was responding to a domestic violence 911 call Wednesday night. The caller told dispatchers, “I think her and her girlfriend fell out and got in a fight.”
Investigators say Fonville wouldn’t drop her knife when Officers ordered her to, and she lunged at Officer Holzhauer in the small living room. He fired two shots. One hit her hand. The other hit her shoulder. He tried to give her medical attention, but it was too late.
“That man could have used a taser,” said Smith. “She’s so small you could have walked up to her and grabbed her.”
Chief Monroe says CMPD won’t file criminal charges against Officer Holzhauer beause Fonville came at him with a knife. However, the Chief acknowledges three shootings in two and half years is abnormal.
“After this third shooting, there is a concern for the officer,” said Chief Monroe.
CMPD will decide where Officer Holzhauer will work to lessen the chance of another shooting.
“The whole neighborhood is hurting because of this,” said Smith. “Now, we don’t feel safe. What am I supposed to do if I need the police?”
