Dozens protest after North Carolina security officer fatally shoots North Carolina Central University student
DURHAM, N.C. Oct 1 2018-– A group of protesters in Durham rallied in memory of a North Carolina Central University student who died this month.
DeAndre Ballard, 23, was shot and killed by a security guard at his off-campus apartment complex on Sept. 18. The security guard’s company, North Carolina Detective Agency, has claimed the guard shot Ballard in self-defense.
Dozens of people came to Durham’s CCB Plaza to demonstrate in Ballard’s defense on Sunday, including several from his hometown of New Bern. Rally organizer Alvarez Rodgers says they want to know more about what led up to Ballard’s death and want the security guard to be held accountable if they acted improperly.
“He was set to graduate from NCCU in May and now his mother has to bury him in September,” said Rodgers. “It’s not right and we want justice for him and his family.”
Rodgers says he will continue to protest until he gets answers about what happened to Ballard.
“I’m going to be back here next week, and I live 2 hours away,” said Ballard. “I’m going to be back here as much as I can and as many times as I can.”
The North Carolina Detective Agency has not identified the security guard who shot Ballard or said what led up to the shooting. They declined to comment about Sunday’s demonstration.
