{{Short description|2012 Black American death in police custody}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox event | title = Death of Chavis Carter | image = | date = {{start date|2012|07|29}} | venue = Police patrol car | location = Jonesboro, Arkansas, U.S. | type = Death in custody | cause = Gunshot wound | outcome = Ruled suicide by Arkansas State Crime Lab | reported deaths = 1 (Chavis Carter) | inquiries = FBI<br>Jonesboro Police Department<br>Arkansas State Crime Lab | coroner = Arkansas State Crime Lab | arrests = 1 (Chavis Carter, prior to death) | verdict = Suicide | blank_label = Weapon | blank_data = .380-caliber Cobra semi-automatic pistol }} thumb|right|Chavis Carter

The '''death of Chavis Carter''' occurred on July 29, 2012. Carter, a 21-year-old African-American man, was found dead from a gunshot while handcuffed in the back of a police patrol car. His death was ruled a suicide by the Arkansas State Crime Lab.<ref name="CNN" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chavis-carter-autopsy-rules-handcuffed-ark-mans-death-a-suicide-finds-multiple-drugs/ |title=Chavis Carter autopsy rules handcuffed Ark. man's death a suicide, finds multiple drugs |work=CBS News |date=2012-08-20 |access-date=2014-02-11}}</ref>

==Event== {{Location map|Arkansas |width = 200 |float = right |label = Jonesboro |caption = Location of Jonesboro within Arkansas |position = none |coordinates = {{coord|35|49|41|N|90|41|39|W}} }} Carter was in the passenger seat of a pickup truck which was stopped by the Jonesboro Police Department of Jonesboro, Arkansas.<ref name="articles.nydailynews.com">{{cite web|first=Philip|last=Caulfield|url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-08-20/news/33290686_1_benjamin-irwin-police-car-autopsy-report |title=Chavis Carter committed suicide in back of police car: autopsy |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130130040336/http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-08-20/news/33290686_1_benjamin-irwin-police-car-autopsy-report |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 30, 2013 |access-date=September 10, 2012 }}</ref> It was reported that an officer found small amounts of cannabis on his person after a body search and ran his information through the police computer network.<ref name="articles.nydailynews.com"/> The officers discovered that he had an outstanding warrant, so they placed him under arrest, searching him again and handcuffing his hands behind his back before placing him in the patrol vehicle.<ref name="articles.nydailynews.com"/>

Minutes later, the officers discovered that Carter had been shot in the head. The officers found a semi-automatic, .380-caliber Cobra pistol near the body.<ref name="CNN" />

==Aftermath== The Jonesboro Police Department believe that Carter had hidden the gun on his person, that the officers did not detect it through the two searches, and he had used it on himself.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/28/chavis-carter-ron-marsh-reprimanded_n_1837368.html |title=Chavis Carter Case: Ron Marsh, Arkansas Police Officer Who Frisked Shooting Victim, To Be Reprimanded |publisher=HuffPost |date= 2012-08-28|access-date=2014-02-11}}</ref> Carter's mother disagreed, later stating "I think they killed him,” claiming he had no history of suicidal thoughts or actions, and he had called his girlfriend to advise her that he would contact her from jail.<ref name="CNN" /> She also stated that Chavis was left-handed<ref name="CNN" /> and was handcuffed behind his back, yet the bullet entered through his right temple. The two officers at the scene were placed on administrative leave and an investigation was started.<ref>{{cite news|first=Melissa|last=Jeltsen |url= https://www.huffpost.com/entry/chavis-carter-shot-jonesboro-police_n_1730997 |title=Chavis Carter Found Shot In The Head While In Patrol Car; Investigation Launched |publisher=HuffPost |date=2012-08-29 |access-date=2020-06-08}}</ref>

A video was released by the police in which a police officer of similar height and build to Carter shows how Carter could have shot himself while handcuffed in a police car.<ref name="CNN" /> A witness to the event said the police were outside the vehicle when the shot was fired.<ref name="CNN" />

The FBI were requested by the Jonesboro Police Department to investigate the death.<ref>{{cite news|author=Matt Williams in New York |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/aug/03/chavis-carter-handduffed-shooting?newsfeed=true |title=Chavis Carter handcuffed-shooting case now under supervision of FBI |publisher=theguardian.com |date= 2012-08-03|access-date=2014-02-11 |location=London}}</ref>

The local NAACP sponsored a vigil.<ref>{{cite news|first=Trymaine|last=Lee |url= https://www.huffpost.com/entry/chavis-carter-handcuffed-fbi_n_1735211 |title=Chavis Carter Shooting Death While Handcuffed To Be Investigated By FBI |publisher=HuffPost |date=2012-08-29 |access-date=2020-06-08}}</ref> There were several protests in Jonesboro due to many not believing the police explanation of Carter's death.<ref name="CNN" />

On August 20, 2012, the Arkansas State Crime Lab ruled the death as a suicide.<ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2012/08/20/us/arkansas-handcuffed-supect-shot/index.html|title=Arkansas medical examiner rules death of handcuffed suspect a suicide |date=August 20, 2012 |access-date=June 8, 2020 |website=CNN.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120910234801/http://articles.cnn.com/2012-08-20/us/us_arkansas-handcuffed-supect-shot_1_police-car-jonesboro-police-medical-examiner |archive-date=September 10, 2012 }}</ref>

==Similar deaths== Jesus Huerta, in Durham, North Carolina, in 2013, and Victor White III, in Louisiana in 2014, both died under similar circumstances.<ref>{{cite news |title=Father seeks closure in son's 'Houdini handcuff suicide' |url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/10/us/louisiana-victor-white-handcuff-suicide/index.html?hpt=hp_c2 |newspaper=CNN |date=September 10, 2014 |access-date=2014-09-10 }}</ref>

==See also== * Killing of Frank Valdes * Killing of Marcia Powell * Killing of Darren Rainey * Suicide of Rodney Hulin * Murder of Liam Ashley

==References== {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Chavis}} Category:Suicides by firearm in Arkansas Category:2012 deaths Category:2012 suicides Category:Deaths in police custody in the United States Category:Deaths by person in Arkansas Category:Jonesboro, Arkansas Category:2012 in Arkansas Category:July 2012 in the United States