Leonard Cure’s Mother Speaks Out After He Was Fatally Shot During Traffic Stop In Georgia

Leonard Cure’s mother is speaking out in the wake of his fatal shooting during a traffic stop with a Georgia deputy.

Mary Cure spoke at a news conference Oct. 18, two days after her son was killed on Interstate 95 near the Georgia-Florida border during an altercation with a Camden County sheriff’s deputy, NBC News reports.

“My heart is disconnected and my soul aches,” she said.

Leonard, 53, had visited his mother in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and was returning to Atlanta when the deputy stopped him. Dashcam video showed Cure complying with the officer until he was told he was being arrested for speeding and reckless driving.

A scuffle ensued after the deputy fired a stun gun. Cure grabbed the deputy by the neck and pushed his head backward, knocking him to the ground, the video revealed. Once the deputy got free of Cure’s hold, he allegedly shot the stun gun twice and hit Cure with a baton before seemingly shooting the man at point-blank range.

You can read the report from the George Bureau of Investigation here.

Cure’s family believed his 16 years in prison for an armed robbery conviction he was exonerated from in 2020 likely played a role in his aggression toward the deputy.

“I believe there were possibly some issues going on, some mental issues with my brother,” his brother Michael Cure told The Associated Press.

“I know him quite well. The officer just triggered him, undoubtedly triggered him. It was excitement met with excitement.”

Camden County Sheriff’s Office have released video of the shooting of Leonard Cure. Cure was pulled over for speeding over 100mph and reckless driving. After being told he was under arrest, he fights with the officer for several minutes. The officer unsuccessfully attempted to… pic.twitter.com/fhTK5ex0bI

— Dixie (@OSiiNT) October 18, 2023

Mary Cure recalled her last conversation with her son early Monday morning.

“He said, ‘I love you and I’ll see you soon,’ that’s the last I heard from him,” she said.

“I was uneasy every time he left because I was like, ‘Will he get a traffic stop? Is he going to be a victim of that?'” Mary said.

“From the time that he was released, he was never set free,” she continued. “Lived in constant fear … is this going to be the day that they’re gonna lock him up, beat him up, or kill him? I lived with that. That is torture.”

The Georgia deputy who allegedly shot Cure hasn’t had his name released and remains on administrative leave pending an investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.