Walker Death 1 The third homicide of the year occurred last Saturday, Jan. 8 and involved an off-duty Cumberland County Sheriff's Deputy.

According to initial reports from the Fayetteville Police Department, 37-year-old Jason Walker allegedly ran into traffic along Bingham Drive and jumped on a moving vehicle. FPD states that the driver, the off-duty deputy, shot Walker and then called 911.

Other accounts of the incident state that the car hit Walker, and Walker was shot at least twice in the back.

Because the individual who shot Walker is a sheriff's deputy, FPD has turned over the investigation to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations.

On Sunday, Jan. 9, protestors walked up Hay Street and around the Market House and stopped in front of the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office and the Fayetteville Police Department. The protesters demanded justice in Walker's death.

Jason Walker 2 Elizabeth Ricks, who was in the vehicle behind the truck involved in the shooting, says she rendered first aid to Walker and no officers offered medical assistance when they arrived at the scene. Ricks says that she didn't see Walker jump onto the vehicle.

"[Walker] was hit. He was trying to go home. He was trying to go across the street to his family," Ricks said at the rally. "You can't tell me anything else. I saw what I saw."

Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins and District Attorney Billy West held a press conference also on Sunday night. Hawkins stated the truck's black box did not record any impact with "any person or thing." Hawkins also clarified that the shots did not go through the windshield. However, they found one of the truck's windshield wipers was ripped off, and the truck's windshield had sustained damage in multiple places.

"We currently have no witnesses who claim that anyone was hit by this truck. We went back and reviewed body-worn camera footage, and individuals at the scene indicated they did not witness the incident," Hawkins said. "The only witness available to us now tells us the exact opposite. Again, today we ask for any additional eyewitnesses to please contact SBI."

The off-duty deputy was taken into custody, their statement was taken, and they have not been arrested at this time. According to FPD, because the off-duty officer is a member of law enforcement, their identity is being withheld following state regulations.

Up & Coming Weekly has reached out to the SBI for comment and received the following statement:

 "What we need from the public at this point - Anyone who witnessed the incident, knows of anyone who witnessed the incident or has video of the incident before, during or after, should contact the SBI Southeastern District office at 910-778-5724 during business hours or call 1-800-334-3000 after business hours."

The SBI did clarify that the firearm used had been seized. They said that other information will be revealed after the medical examiner releases their report/autopsy.

The SBI does not have incident reports and told Up & Coming Weekly that we would have to go through FPD. Up & Coming Weekly has requested that incident report.

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