North Carolina police fatally shoot unarmed deaf man after traffic stop

Police try to pull over Daniel Harris for speeding which leads to a pursuit

Police were trying to pull over Daniel Harris for speeding (iStock)

Police have shot and killed an unarmed deaf man in North Carolina only yards from his house.

Daniel Kevin Harris was driving his Volvo when trooper Jermaine Saunders attempted to pull him over for speeding, according to the police.

Mr Harris did not respond, leading to a pursuit in which both cars were damaged. The cars stopped only yards from the 29-year-old’s house.

Eyewitnesses have claimed Mr Harris was unarmed and shot “almost immediately” after he left his vehicle, NY Daily News reported.

He appeared to be trying to communicate with the officer via sign language.

Neighbour Mark Barringer said he saw the patrol car come through and then heard one gunshot 10 seconds later.

"It was surreal, you just don't expect to see something like that," Mr Barringer told WCNC. "When the gunshot went off, it was scary."

"They should've deescalated and been trained to realize that this is an entirely different situation, you're pulling someone over who is deaf," said Barringer. "To me, what happened is totally unacceptable."

Trooper Saunders has been placed on administrative leave.