‘Sounded really close.’ Neighbors describe scene of North Carolina officer-involved shooting

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – “We just got back in the house maybe two hours prior and uh just heard some shots.. some loud bangs as I can pretty much call it, and then after the second one I was like yeah that’s a gunshot… so you know like it sounded pretty close and I was like “hmm it’s a little weird for it to be in this area,” said a resident in the neighborhood.

And that was unusual. People in the Wyndham Place neighborhood in the University City area say they don’t hear that kind of thing around their homes.

Those shots, CMPD says, came from a home on Billings Park Drive from a person suffering a mental health crisis.

Authorities say officers were preparing to serve involuntary commitment paperwork to a resident in the home when multiple service calls came in from the same address about a domestic violence assault with a deadly weapon.

“Officers were able to get to the house quickly since they were already in the neighborhood and they saw a subject actively firing his gun towards the rear of the residence. An officer observed this and discharged his firearm at the subject that was actively firing and stopped the immediate threat,” said Deputy Chief Tonya Arrington. 

Authorities say two victims were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. We know that three people were in the home, but only two victims were sent to the hospital.

“When we have an IVC, we do a preliminary workup, so when officers arrive on scene if there’s a history there or anything that’s concerning like previous threats, previous assaults on officers or something like that — we know that going in. And all indications are that that was not the case with this one,” Arrington said. 

The officer has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. 

The SBI was also called in. 

“Our hearts go out praying for the officers involved that were on the scene, praying for the family that was involved in dealing with this situation with somebody that was in a mental health crisis. We’re praying for everyone involved in this situation,” she said.