DA cleared shooter, who 'reasonably believed' there was 'imminent threat'

By Gregory Childress

gchildres@heraldsun.com; 419-6645

Chapel Hill -- Tragedy struck UNC in August when Courtland Smith, the popular 21-year-old president of the Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) fraternity, was shot to death by an Archdale police officer who thought he had a gun.

The Randolph County District Attorney's Office determined earlier this month that Archdale Police Officer J.P. Flinchum was justified in shooting Smith because there was evidence that Flinchum "reasonably believed that he and Officer [D.] Jones were in imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury when he shot Courtland Smith."

Smith was traveling south on Interstate 85 on Aug. 23 when he called 911 to report that he was drinking, speeding and the he had a 9 mm pistol. He told the dispatcher that he was trying to kill himself.

A gun was never found at the scene or in Smith's car. They did find a Blackberry cell phone next to the ground where Smith fell.

The shooting death sent shock waves through the campus and landed DKE on probation for numerous alcohol-related rules at a recruitment party held at the DKE house the night before Smith was shot to death.

Smith had sent an e-mail to family members before the shooting indicating his intent to commit suicide.

A judge is weighing whether to release police videos taken moments before Smith was shot. Smith's parents have asked that the video remain sealed.