Family of Man Shot by State Trooper Speaks Out

GASTONIA, NC — “I was screaming, ‘That’s my son, don’t shoot my son, you don’t kill my son,'” said mother, Dorothy Lewis.

Dorothy Lewis says she was driving down Highway 74 when she saw police cars and what looked like her son, so she stopped. Lewis says police still had their guns drawn on him and she thought her son was dead.

“When the door opened my son was leaning, and then next thing I know they pulled him out of the car and he fell on the ground,” said Lewis.

Highway Patrol says State Trooper Christopher Wade stopped 31-year-old Jeremy Lewis on Highway 74 in Gastonia for following too close, and saw he was on probation with outstanding warrants.  Highway Patrol says when Wade tried to make an arrest, Lewis tried to get away by driving his car up a hill but his car rolled back pinning Wade against another vehicle. That’s when Wade shot Lewis in his car.

“I want to know why he got stopped by police. I want to know why did they have to shoot my son,” said Lewis.

Lewis says her son was shot twice: once through the jaw and in the left wrist. Lewis’ cousin admits he has a criminal past, but says that doesn’t justify the shooting.

“Tell me somebody that has a criminal background and deserves to be gunned down when witnesses say his hands were out the window,” said cousin Florence.

“It makes me feel terrible. It’s hurt, it’s a hurting feeling that I don’t know anything,” said Lewis.