A woman claiming to be an eyewitness says that a Raleigh, NC police officer shot a fleeing suspect six times in the back during a foot pursuit Monday afternoon.

Pardon me as I strongly doubt the credibility of her story.

A Raleigh police officer shot and killed a man with a long criminal history during a foot chase Monday.

It happened at Bragg Street and S. East Street in southeast Raleigh around noon close to a business called PJ’s Grill and Groceries, when an officer tried to serve a warrant on a felony drug charge.

Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck Brown told reporters Monday afternoon that a gun was found near the man.

The chief asked for “prayers” and “patience” as the matter is investigated. She said she expects to have a written report on the initial findings ready for the city manager in the next five business days.

While police have not officially identified the dead man, shortly after the shooting, a woman on the scene told ABC11 that officers shot her son, 24-year-old Akiel Denkins, who was wanted on a warrant.

ABC11 found that Denkins has a lengthy criminal record, with more than a dozen arrests dating back 5 years. He’s been arrested and charged with among other things, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, carrying a concealed firearm, and assault on a female.

The woman claiming to be a witness says that Denkins ran when police attempted to apprehend him for an outstanding warrant. The suspect and officer cleared one fence and Denkins then scaled a second chain-link fence. She then said the officer started up the fence, fell, and then opened fire on Denkins.

I find another scenario both more logical and likely.

I suspect that after Denkins cleared the second fence he pulled the handgun that was found near his body. The officer saw the gun—it was, after all, a chain-link fence—pushed off of the fence (he didn’t fall), and opened fire on the armed suspect in self-defense.

Self-styled “community leaders” in the area are of course stepping forward and claiming that racism drove the shooting, that whites are attempting to enslave blacks, etc. I rather suspect that Raleigh’s black female police chief, Cassandra Deck-Brown was rolling her eyes behind her sunglasses upon hearing those claims.

Sadly these same “community leaders” seem less concerned that Denkins was a violent crack dealer poisoning their neighborhoods and assaulting people.

A veteran Raleigh police officer was placed on administrative leave after the shooting.