© 2026 254 North Front Street, Suite 300, Wilmington, NC 28401 | 910.343.1640
News Classical 91.3 Wilmington 92.7 Wilmington 96.7 Southport
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
The Newsroom

Praying for Justice, Part II: How one family is contending with police’s use of deadly force

By Aaleah McConnell,
Madeline Gray
Published July 21, 2026 at 2:12 PM EDT
Ways To Subscribe
Genesis Espinoza Sierra looks through photos of bullet holes in her brotherÕs car at their familyÕs home in Wallace on April 17, 2026. Edilberto Espinoza Sierra was shot and killed by the Wilmington Police Department in the early morning hours of March 8 following an incident in a downtown Wilmington parking garage. Espinoza Sierra was incorrectly identified as a suspect before he was killed and now his family is seeking answer and accountability.
1 of 4  — PHOTOS_ Praying for Justice How one family is contending with police’s use of deadly force Part 2/EDILBERTO_FAMILY_33.JPG
Genesis Espinoza Sierra looks through photos of bullet holes in her brotherÕs car at their familyÕs home in Wallace on April 17, 2026. Edilberto Espinoza Sierra was shot and killed by the Wilmington Police Department in the early morning hours of March 8 following an incident in a downtown Wilmington parking garage. Espinoza Sierra was incorrectly identified as a suspect before he was killed and now his family is seeking answer and accountability.
Madeline Gray/Madeline Gray
Genesis Espinoza Sierra, left, and her mother Elizabeth Sierra, right, hold hands outside their familyÕs home in Wallace on April 17, 2026. Their brother and son Edilberto Espinoza Sierra was shot and killed by the Wilmington Police Department in the early morning hours of March 8 following an incident in a downtown Wilmington parking garage. Espinoza Sierra was incorrectly identified as a suspect before he was killed and now his family is seeking answer and accountability.
2 of 4  — PHOTOS_ Praying for Justice How one family is contending with police’s use of deadly force Part 2/EDILBERTO_FAMILY_37.JPG
Genesis Espinoza Sierra, left, and her mother Elizabeth Sierra, right, hold hands outside their familyÕs home in Wallace on April 17, 2026. Their brother and son Edilberto Espinoza Sierra was shot and killed by the Wilmington Police Department in the early morning hours of March 8 following an incident in a downtown Wilmington parking garage. Espinoza Sierra was incorrectly identified as a suspect before he was killed and now his family is seeking answer and accountability.
Madeline Gray/Madeline Gray
Elizabeth Sierra has a tattoo of the name ÒEdlibertoÓ on her arm which references both her husband and her son at her home in Wallace on April 17, 2026. Her son Edilberto Espinoza Sierra was shot and killed by the Wilmington Police Department in the early morning hours of March 8 following an incident in a downtown Wilmington parking garage. Espinoza Sierra was incorrectly identified as a suspect before he was killed and now his family is seeking answer and accountability.
3 of 4  — PHOTOS_ Praying for Justice How one family is contending with police’s use of deadly force Part 2/EDILBERTO_FAMILY_38.JPG
Elizabeth Sierra has a tattoo of the name ÒEdlibertoÓ on her arm which references both her husband and her son at her home in Wallace on April 17, 2026. Her son Edilberto Espinoza Sierra was shot and killed by the Wilmington Police Department in the early morning hours of March 8 following an incident in a downtown Wilmington parking garage. Espinoza Sierra was incorrectly identified as a suspect before he was killed and now his family is seeking answer and accountability.
Madeline Gray/Madeline Gray
Genesis Espinoza Sierra looks through photos of bullet holes in her brother’s car at their family’s home in Wallace on April 17, 2026. Edilberto Espinoza Sierra was shot and killed by the Wilmington Police Department in the early morning hours of March 8 following an incident in a downtown Wilmington parking garage. Espinoza Sierra was incorrectly identified as a suspect before he was killed and now his family is seeking answer and accountability.
4 of 4  — PHOTOS_ Praying for Justice How one family is contending with police’s use of deadly force Part 2/EDILBERTO_FAMILY_31.JPG
Genesis Espinoza Sierra looks through photos of bullet holes in her brother’s car at their family’s home in Wallace on April 17, 2026. Edilberto Espinoza Sierra was shot and killed by the Wilmington Police Department in the early morning hours of March 8 following an incident in a downtown Wilmington parking garage. Espinoza Sierra was incorrectly identified as a suspect before he was killed and now his family is seeking answer and accountability.
Madeline Gray/Madeline Gray

Earlier this year, 21-year-old Edilberto Espinoza Sierra was killed by law enforcement officers in a downtown Wilmington parking deck. WHQR's Aaleah McConnell digs into the decision not to charge officers involved in the shooting and the family's ongoing search for justice.

This reporting project was made possible in part by a grant from the Fourth Estate Fund.

The Wilmington Police Department claimed the shooting was in self-defense, and last month, District Attorney Jason Smith determined no charges would be brought against the law enforcement officials involved.

In the second installment of this story, WHQR reporter Aaleah McConnell breaks down the police bodycam footage of the shooting that was shown exclusively to local reporters, and learns more about the Espinoza Sierra family’s account of the events leading up to the officer-involved shooting of Edilberto.

Tags
The Newsroom Latest news
Aaleah McConnell
Aaleah McConnell is a Report for America corps member and a recent North Carolina implant from Atlanta, Georgia. They report on the criminal justice system in New Hanover County and surrounding areas. Before joining WHQR, they completed a fellowship with the States Newsroom, as a General Assignment Reporter for the Georgia Recorder. Aaleah graduated from Kennesaw State University with a degree in journalism and minored in African and African-American Diaspora studies. In their free time, Aaleah loves roller-skating and enjoys long walks with their dog Kai. You can reach them at <a href="mailto:amcconnell@whqr.org">amcconnell@whqr.org</a>.
See stories by Aaleah McConnell
Madeline Gray
Madeline Gray is a freelance documentary photographer based in Wilmington. She enjoys spending time in places that are off the beaten track and collaborating to share the diverse stories found there.



With a master's degree in photojournalism, her work is regularly featured in local and national publications, including NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Mother Jones, The Wall Street Journal, BuzzFeed News, AARP, The Undefeated, Narratively, WUNC, Columbia Journalism Review, Yes! Magazine, Walter Magazine, and WHQR.
See stories by Madeline Gray