Family still waiting for answers after father shot and killed by Union County deputy

MONROE, N.C. (WBTV) - March 15 marks one year since a man was shot to death by a Union County deputy.

Wednesday not only marks the anniversary of Malcolm Staton’s death, but also the day he would have turned 31.

The shooting happened outside a gas station in Monroe last March, after deputies said Staton drove away from a traffic stop and hit three patrol cars.

Family members said three of his children, and his girlfriend, were all in the car when he was shot.

Related: Driver dies after being shot by Union Co. deputy, accused of hitting patrol cruisers

The family launched their own internal investigation last April, claiming he posed no threat to the deputies.

While that investigation is still ongoing, Staton’s family said his kids, aged 2, 3 and 5 years old, are having trouble sleeping and are wondering when their dad is going to come home.

“It will forever impact the children,” Cindy Hailey, the kids’ grandmother, said.

Hailey also suspects race may have played a part in this, as Staton was a young Black man.

“As a white lady, I have never heard of a white family ever getting attacked like that by the police,” she said. “I mean it’s like, ‘we’re not shooting into that car with those kids in there.’ But for this family, it didn’t matter.”

While Hailey pushes for accountability, the case is now in the hands of the district attorney, who will determine if charges will be filed against the deputy.

WBTV is still waiting to hear an update from the DA’s office.

Related: Family of man shot, killed by Union County deputy launches independent investigation

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