CMPD officer won't be charged in killing of mentally ill woman

April 09--Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Officer Anthony Holzhauer won't be charged in the fatal shooting of a mentally ill woman in February, Mecklenburg County District Attorney Andrew Murray announced Thursday.

"The District Attorney's Office has concluded that it was not unlawful for Officer Holzhauer to use deadly force in the face of what he reasonably perceived to be an attack from a knife-wielding subject," Murray wrote to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe.

"Consequently, charges against Officer Holzhauer are not appropriate under the law," Murray wrote.

Janisha Fonville, 20, died after Holzhauer shot her inside her public housing unit north of uptown. He and another officer approached her immediately after they were told by her girlfriend, outside the apartment, that Fonville was mentally ill and might hurt herself.

The girlfriend, Korneisha Banks, said the officers were in the dimly lit home for about 15 seconds before an unarmed Fonville was shot twice. Police disputed that account, saying Fonville lunged at the officers with a knife, which was recovered at the scene, Holzhauer's attorney Michael Greene has said.

Murray told Monroe that the D.A.'s letter "does not address issues relating to tactics or whether Officer Holzhauer followed correct police procedures or CMPD Directives."

CMPD had no immediate comment on Murray's decision, CMPD spokesman Robert Tufano said.

Marusak: 704-358-5067;

Twitter: @jmarusak

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