Officer killed a person who ran from police, ‘produced a firearm,’ CMPD says
A Charlotte-Mecklenburg officer fatally shot a person who ran from police Friday, ignored commands to stop and “produced a firearm,” according to a CMPD news release.
Read more Four new schools run to NC Super 25 poll for state’s top high school football teams
Police didn’t name the person who was killed or the officer by Saturday morning.
The person was shot around 2:30 p.m. when officers responded to a 911 call about a disturbance around the 1300 block of LaSalle Street in north Charlotte, CMPD said.
Unrelated to the call, police said, officers saw people “engaged in a criminal transaction.” Police aren’t saying what specifically they saw.
A person in the group ran when they saw the officers. As they chased the person, “officers gave multiple commands for the individual to stop,” according to the CMPD news release.
When the person produced a gun, one of the officers, “perceiving an imminent deadly threat,” shot and killed the person, CMPD said.
Officers immediately gave medical aid to the person before MEDIC arrived, police said. The person died at a hospital, according to CMPD.
No officers were injured, police said.
The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation will be the lead agency investigating the Sept. 18 fatal shooting, CMPD reports.
“Part of the SBI’s investigation includes the Medical Examiner’s exam, which is expected early this coming week. We expect that the objective facts established through the Medical Examiner’s examination and the SBI’s investigation, when completed, will address some of the lingering questions and unverified reports currently circulating,” CMPD officials said.
Read more Who will win Carolina Panthers vs. Falcons matchup? Our predictions, best bets
“To protect the integrity of their active investigation, CMPD cannot release preliminary details.”
As is standard procedure, “CMPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau will conduct a separate but parallel investigation,” the department said.
The officer was put on paid administrative leave pending the investigation, which is “standard protocol,” according to police.
The incident “really underscores for us the importance of officers maintaining situational awareness at all times,” CMPD Chief Estella Patterson said at a news conference at police headquarters.
“Seems like our officers continue to encounter rapidly evolving circumstances even while responding to unrelated calls for service,” Patterson said. “We understand when doing this work, it can be dangerous, and it can be difficult for us.”
Police urged anyone with information about the incident to call the SBI at 919-662-4500 or the Charlotte Crime Stoppers anonymous tips line at 704-334-1600.
Chief Patterson gives an update on the Officer-Involved Shooting in the Metro Division: pic.twitter.com/3IgfEmf9rl
Read more Car with someone inside found at bottom of popular NC waterfall, rescuers say
This is a developing story that will be updated.
This story was originally published September 19, 2026 at 9:02 AM.
