A 29-YEAR-OLD deaf man has been gunned down by a North Carolina state trooper after trying to communicate with the officer using sign language.

Father-of-one Daniel Kevin Harris was killed near his own home by Charlotte state trooper Jermaine Saunders last Thursday after being pulled over for speeding.

According to authorities, Harris refused to stop and led the trooper on a 16km chase.

Harris — who has a four-year-old son — stopped in his neighbourhood, within sight of his home, got out of his car and walked towards Saunders.

Harris and Saunders had what the State Bureau of Investigation described as “an encounter,” leaving Harris shot at least once and dead in the street.

WCNC reports that witnesses said unarmed Harris was shot “almost immediately” after getting out his car.

Authorities have released little information about the investigation, including any possible body camera or dashboard camera footage or whether a gun was found near Harris.

Saunders has been placed on administrative leave. A spokeswoman for the SBI, which is handling the investigation, didn’t immediately respond to questions, including whether authorities have interviewed Saunders yet.

Harris’ family is raising money for his funeral and will use any extra money toward educating police officers on how to handle hard of hearing people.

They also called for a system to alert officers they are dealing with a deaf driver when they enter information into their computers, according to the family’s posting on YouCaring.com.

“You don’t see deafness the way that you see the difference in race. We need to change the system,” Harris’ brother Sam said to reporters using sign language and an interpreter after the Monday night vigil.

Sam Harris is deaf, and so are his brother’s parents and other family members. They signed with each other as an Associated Press reporter knocked on their door on Tuesday.

Sam Harris didn’t want to talk, but wrote a note leaving an email address for an interpreter, who did not immediately respond.

After the Monday night vigil, Sam Harris told reporters about a frightening encounter he had with an officer.

“I pulled over and within a few seconds, the officer is at my window with his weapon drawn and in my face. I’m deaf! I’m deaf! I’m deaf!” he signed, putting his hands on his ears in exaggerated motions.

The Associated Press left messages with two State Highway Patrol spokesmen about what training the patrol offers for dealing with deaf drivers.

A state Division of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman could not immediately say whether if the agency offers any ways for deaf people to identify themselves.

The National Association of the Deaf doesn’t keep statistics on violent interactions involving deaf people and law enforcement. Its chief executive officer, Howard Rosenblum, said there are “too many” such incidents.

“Too often, officers make verbal orders for individuals to comply and act aggressively when those individuals do not comply,” Rosenblum wrote in an email.

“Deaf individuals often are unable to understand the verbal commands of law enforcement officers, and this has led to many physical altercations between law enforcement officers and deaf individuals over the years, with some resulting in death.”

The NAD supports intensive training for law enforcement officers on dealing with people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and says some officers should be trained to communicate in American Sign Language.