Andrew Brown Jr. died of gunshot wound to back of head, state autopsy confirms

A state autopsy released on Thursday found that Andrew Brown Jr., a Black man shot by North Carolina sheriff's deputies in April, died of a gunshot to the back of his head, confirming the conclusion of an independent autopsy commissioned by the family, CNN reports.

Why it matters: The report, which lists "homicide" as the cause of death, comes less than a month after a North Carolina prosecutor concluded that the shooting was "justified."

Details: The autopsy also found a non-fatal gunshot wound and several wounds on Brown's right arm.

• A toxicology report that was also released found methamphetamine in Brown's system, but it said the level was "low and likely did not play a role in Mr. Brown's cause or manner of death," CNN notes.

What they're saying: "The autopsy results prove what we've always known to be true: Pasquotank County deputies executed Andrew Brown Jr. with a kill shot to the back of the head," attorneys for the Brown family said in a statement.

• "The false narrative that [District Attorney Andrew Womble] has attempted to weave is completely discredited by this autopsy report."

Womble last month said Brown ignored commands and put his car in drive, turning it "directly at law enforcement officers" who had surrounded the vehicle after attempting to serve drug-related search and arrest warrants.