OFFICE OF THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
21st
PROSECUTORIAL DISTRICT (FORSYTH COUNTY)
JAMES R. O’NEILL,
DISTRICT
ATTORNEY
NEWS RELEASE 11-4-2014
In
Re: Shooting Death of Montez Dewayne
Hambric
On May 25, 2014, at approximately 8AM, Winston-Salem
Police Department (WSPD) officers chased Montez Hambric, a hit-and-run suspect,
who ran from police. During the course
of the chase and arrest, Hambric was shot and killed by Officer D.W. Walsh of
the WSPD. The Forsyth County District
Attorney’s Office and the WSPD requested that the State Bureau of Investigation
conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The SBI completed an exhaustive investigation
and forwarded a copy of the complete investigative file to the Forsyth County
District Attorney’s Office.
The SBI report revealed the following
details of the incident: On the morning
of May 25, 2014, WSPD Officer A.G. Thrush encountered Montez Hambric while
running stationary radar near a ramp leading onto Highway 52. Hambric fit the description of a suspect in a
hit-and-run accident minutes earlier, and Hambric had blood on his hands and
clothing. Hambric provided a false name
to Officer Thrush, and then took off running.
Officer D.W. Walsh pursued and eventually located
Hambric running through a greenway near Marshall Street. Officer Walsh caught up with Hambric and commanded
Hambric to get on the ground. Hambric
refused to comply and became aggressive, eventually charging at Officer Walsh
in a boxing stance. Officer Walsh then
tazed Hambric, who continued to resist and jumped back to his feet. Officer Walsh subsequently lost control of
his ASP baton, while pulling it from his belt.
Hambric grabbed the baton, walked toward Officer Walsh with the baton in
hand, and then began running again.
Officer Walsh drew his pistol and pursued Hambric.
Hambric ran into the woods then came out of
the woods twice holding the baton in an aggressive manner. Hambric continued to refuse to comply with
Officer Walsh’s instructions to get on the ground. Hambric continued to aggressively approach
Officer Walsh wielding the baton. Ignoring multiple commands to halt, Hambric,
with the WSPD baton still in hand, came within five feet of Officer Walsh, who
fired one shot striking Hambric.
At the time of this incident, Montez Hambric
was on parole for a robbery conviction out of Kentucky, and had accumulated
numerous other convictions out of North Carolina. Hambric also had felony
charges pending in Orange County. The
vehicle that Hambric was driving at the time of this incident has also been
reported stolen out of Chapel Hill. A
toxicology report done at autopsy showed that Hambric had cocaine in his
system.
The first officer to come to Officer Walsh’s
aid, wearing an Axon Body Cam, recorded the scene upon approach. The video clearly shows the deceased,
shirtless, in possession of Officer Walsh’s baton.
After a thorough review of the SBI
investigation, the Forsyth County District Attorney’s Office has determined
that Officer Walsh’s use of force was justified pursuant to North Carolina
General Statute 15A-401(d)(2)(a) and 15A-401(d)(2)(b). The investigation demonstrates that Officer
Walsh acted to protect his life and to protect the lives of others in
Winston-Salem, North Carolina on May 25, 2014.
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