Armed Raleigh Witness Stops Ax Attack; DA Declines Charges
An armed witness intervened after police say an ax-wielding attacker continued striking a man who was attempting to flee, ending the assault with a single gunshot.
Raleigh police responded to the 100 block of Summit Avenue shortly before 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 2. Officers found 39-year-old Emmanuel Graham suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body.
Graham was transported to a hospital, where he died. The man allegedly attacked with the ax suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
According to reports, Graham and the injured man had been arguing before the confrontation became physical. Investigators said Graham obtained a weapon, identified in local reporting as an ax, and struck the other man.
The injured man attempted to escape toward Summit Avenue, but police said Graham continued the assault.
Armed Witness Intervenes
An uninvolved witness reportedly saw the attack and believed the fleeing man faced an immediate threat. The witness retrieved a handgun and fired once, striking Graham. The armed citizen remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
This was not a case of someone recklessly joining an ordinary argument. Based on the facts released by police, the witness saw a man being struck with a potentially deadly weapon as he attempted to retreat. The attack reportedly continued until the witness intervened.
After reviewing witness statements, video, physical evidence and the circumstances surrounding the shooting, the Wake County District Attorney’s Office declined to file charges against the armed citizen.
Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman told The News & Observer that the decision was based on North Carolina’s defense-of-others law, which permits someone to intervene to prevent deadly harm to another person.
Defensive Gun Use Protects Others
The Raleigh shooting illustrates an important fact often ignored in debates over defensive gun ownership: Armed citizens do not use firearms solely to protect themselves. Sometimes they act to protect another person who cannot escape a violent attacker.
Police cannot be everywhere, and no 911 response can place an officer at the scene before every attack begins. In this case, the threat was unfolding in real time. The victim was reportedly injured, fleeing and still being pursued by an attacker carrying an ax.
The armed witness had only seconds to evaluate the danger and decide whether intervention was necessary. He reportedly fired one shot, remained at the scene and cooperated with police.
Responsible gun ownership includes judgment, restraint and understanding when deadly force may be legally justified. The publicly reported facts indicate that this witness exercised all three.
An armed citizen saw another person facing potentially deadly harm and acted. After examining the evidence, prosecutors determined that criminal charges were not warranted.
That is what the right to keep and bear arms can look like in practice: not aggression, vigilantism or needless confrontation, but the ability to stop an immediate threat when another person’s life may depend on it.
About Duncan Johnson:
Duncan Johnson is a lifelong firearms enthusiast and unwavering defender of the Second Amendment—where “shall not be infringed” means exactly what it says. A graduate of George Mason University, he enjoys competing in local USPSA and multi-gun competitions whenever he’s not covering the latest in gun rights and firearm policy. Duncan is a regular contributor to AmmoLand News and serves as part of the editorial team responsible for AmmoLand’s daily gun-rights reporting and industry coverage.