GRAPHIC CONTENT: Body Cam Footage from the Officer Involved Shooting In January of Michael Kelley

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The following video is graphic in nature please be advised. 

Press Release from CMPD on the incident:

Wednesday, April 24, 2019,

A Superior Court judge has granted a media request authorizing the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to release body-worn camera footage of the January 16, 2019, officer involved shooting incident involving Michael Kelley. 

 

The CMPD has traditionally transmitted the relevant portion of video recording to the courts, based on the petitioners’ requests. Moving forward, the CMPD’s policy will involve transmitting all body-worn camera video of the petitioned incident to the presiding Superior Court judge along with appropriate redaction recommendations.

 

INCIDENT SUMMARY:On January 16, 2019, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department investigated two separate armed robberies in the Westover Division, in relatively close proximity to each other.  The first robbery occurred at approximately 1:40 p.m. in the 300 block of Freeland Lane.  During that robbery, the suspect entered a church and asked for money.  When a man inside the church declined to give the suspect money, the suspect pulled out a box cutter, cut the victim and then proceeded to take the keys to his Infiniti and the suspect left the area.  The report number for this robbery is 2019-0116-135600. 

 

A short time later, a suspect matching the description in the prior incident, robbed the Family Dollar Store in the 460 block of West Tyvola Road.  The suspect in this robbery left the store in an Infiniti.  The store employees reported that they believed the suspect was armed with a gun during the commission of the robbery.  The report number for this robbery is 2019-0116-135701.  At approximately 2:40 p.m., a Westover Division patrol officer located the unoccupied stolen Infiniti in a shopping center in the 1500 block of West Boulevard.  Based on the description given of the suspect in both robberies, officers believed the same suspect committed both robberies.

 

Officers were circulating the area when K-9 Officer Timothy Kiefer observed the suspect standing on the sidewalk near the location where the Infiniti was found.  Officer Kiefer advised over the radio that he had located the suspect and pulled into the parking lot in the 1500 block of West Boulevard.  Officer Kiefer exited his patrol vehicle and observed Mr. Kelley step out from behind a dumpster.  Officer Kiefer gave Mr. Kelley several loud verbal commands; however, Mr. Kelley began rapidly moving toward Officer Kiefer, holding in his right hand what Officer Kiefer thought was either a gun or a knife.  Officer Kiefer let his K-9, Baco, out of the vehicle and continued giving commands to Mr. Kelley.  Mr. Kelley continued progressing quickly toward Officer Kiefer.  Officer Kiefer discharged his firearm several times, striking Mr. Kelley.  Mr. Kelley was transported to Atrium Health where he was pronounced deceased a short time later.  The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Homicide Unit concluded their investigation and turned all of the evidence over to the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office for their review. On March 26, 2019, the District Attorney determined that Officer Kiefer faced an imminent threat of great bodily harm or death and did not seek any charges related to the death of Mr. Kelley.  For a detailed synopsis of the District Attorney’s decision, please see this link:

 

http://charmeckda.com/news/032619_1.pdf

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit Detective. Detective Dollar is the lead detective assigned to the case. The public can also call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or visit the Crime Stoppers website at http://charlottecrimestoppers.com/. The report number in reference to the officer involved shooting is 2019-0116-162201.