A major police investigation is underway in Charlotte after a police-involved shooting Thursday afternoon that left one person dead and shut down a busy intersection.
According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), officers were involved in a pursuit of a suspect connected to a reported shooting earlier in the day near Brookshire Boulevard and North Hoskins Road.
Police said the chase ended at the intersection of Freedom Drive and West Morehead Street, where the suspect allegedly got out of the vehicle and ran on foot. During the confrontation, the suspect reportedly reached toward his hip, prompting officers to open fire.
The suspect was struck by gunfire and pronounced dead at the scene, officials confirmed. A firearm was recovered nearby.
“Officers were pursuing a suspect wanted in connection to a shooting incident earlier in the afternoon,” CMPD said in a statement. “After the vehicle came to a stop, the individual fled on foot and made a movement consistent with reaching for a weapon. Officers discharged their firearms, striking the suspect.”
The intersection of Freedom Drive and Morehead Street remains completely shut down as police secure the area and conduct an on-scene investigation. Multiple police cruisers, detectives, and crime scene units were observed in the area late Thursday evening.
No officers were injured during the incident, according to CMPD. The department’s Internal Affairs Bureau and the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) have both been notified, as is standard protocol in all officer-involved shootings.
Witnesses described hearing multiple gunshots followed by a large police response. “We just saw a bunch of police cars flying in, then everything was blocked off. They told everyone to stay inside,” one nearby resident said.
Authorities are urging the public to avoid the area while Freedom Drive and surrounding streets remain closed.
The investigation is ongoing, and the identity of the suspect has not yet been released.
