Charlotte man who fired gun in home shot by police during mental health crisis call

A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer shot at a man as officers prepared to serve involuntary commitment papers on a person at a northeast Charlotte home on Saturday, CMPD Deputy Chief Tonya Arrington said.

CMPD has not specified whether the man was injured in the shooting but said two people from the home were taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. It’s not clear whether bullets fired by the police officer struck either person, but CMPD said no officers were injured.

Officers received multiple calls for service from the home “in reference to a domestic assault with a deadly weapon” as they neared the residence in the 2700 block of Billings Park Drive around 1 p.m., Arrington said at a news conference.

That’s a residential area off Back Creek Church Road in the Wyndam Place subdivision in University City.

“Officers observed a subject actively discharging his firearm towards the rear of the residence,” she said. ”An officer observed this and discharged his firearm at the subject that was actively firing, and stopped the threat.”

Officers rendered aid to the subject of the involuntary commitment papers and another person in the home, Arrington said. .

“An officer saw a deadly threat,” Arrington said. “He engaged that threat, which he was able to stop immediately, and we were able to render aid to two individuals.”

“It sounds like whatever was happening escalated, and officers responded accordingly,” Arrington said.

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

Police hadn’t been to the home before or dealt previously with the person who was the subject of the involuntary commitment paperwork, Arrington said.

A firearm was found at the scene, according to a CMPD news release.

Arrington said the investigation is ongoing and said the State Bureau of Investigation will investigate the incident. Police urged anyone with information about the incident to call CMPD police Detective Brad Tisdale at 704-432-8477 or the Crime Stoppers anonymous tips line at 704-334-1600.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.