Summary

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**EDITORIAL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY WLOS on 7/13/23**

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Wednesday
Buncomb County, NC

Todd Williams
Buncombe County DA


Rondell Lance Jr.
pres. Fraternal Order Of Police


--REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS--
MOMENTS BEFORE TROOPER JEFFREY DUNLAP FIRED HIS WEAPON AT MOTORIST WESLEY TAYLOR THE MOTORIST POINTED A GUN AT THE TROOPER AND FIRED.
THE TROOPER JEFFREY DUNLAP CATCHING THE BULLET IN THE CHEST WHERE IT WAS STOPPED BY HIS BULLET-PROOF VEST.
THE TROOPER THEN FIRING BACK KILLING TAYLOR.
Todd Williams / Buncombe County DA: "The officer absolutely was justified to use deadly force in response to the threat, as would any other citizen."
WE SAT DOWN WITH THE D-A WHO TUESDAY CLEARED THE TROOPER OF ANY WRONG-DOING IN THE JULY 3RD ENCOUNTER TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED.
HE SAID TAYLOR HAD BEEN DRINKING AND WAS ASKED TO TAKE AN ALCOHOL TEST.
Todd Williams / Buncombe County DA: "At that point some friction erupted, and some fingers were pointed, and Mr. Taylor went into his car and Trooper Dunlap assumed that he was getting other tools to get his tire back on, get his wheel back on and emerged with a 44 magnum desert eagle."
TAYLOR THEN FIRING HIS WEAPON AT TROOPER DUNLAP WHO FIRED BACK.
Dispatch: He's gonna be westbound on the i-26 33 mile marker.
Trooper: Fired. I've been hit.
Dispatch: He say he's been hit?
Trooper: I've got one person down
Dispatch: Have you been struck, are you 10-4?
Trooper: I don't believe it went through my vest.
RONDELL LANCE IS PRESIDENT OF THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE.
Rondell Lance Jr. / Pres. Fraternal Order Of Police: "Then all of a sudden you're faced with someone pulling a gun on you, you have to jump from (snap) that quickly to save your life."
TAYLOR'S FAMILY GOT TO SEE WHY THE D-A CLEARED THE STATE TROOPER.
Members of the Taylor family viewed the dash-cam footage and those that did understood the reasons for the decision that there will be no charges. He was completely justified to use deadly force in response to the threat.

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--KEYWORD TAGS--
NORTH CAROLINA OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING