Daniel Harris was shot dead by police Picture: Facebook)

A father who is deaf and mute has been shot dead by police after trying to communicate with them using sign language.

Daniel Kevin Harris, 29, was pulled over for a speeding violation in North Carolina last Thursday when he was driving towards his home.

Officers tried to pull him over but he continued to drive until he reached his address, engaging the police in a brief pursuit.

On pulling up at his home, he stepped out of the car and started signing to state trooper Jermaine Saunders.

Saunders fired a shot at Mr Harris, who was unarmed and died at the scene.

He is deaf and mute so may not have understood what police were saying to him (Picture: Facebook)

Witnesses described him using his arms to try and communicate with police adding that it appeared as though he was shot ‘almost immediately’ after getting out of the car.

Saunders said that he had shot Harris because he was not following orders and was advancing on officers, according to WCCB.

Mr Harris’s brother, Jay, said: ‘He was unarmed – and he is a deaf individual, and I think that he was just afraid.

‘He could not hear their warnings. He could not hear their commands to stop or to stay away from them.’