CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A woman shot at three Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers, striking one in the chest, as they went to her south Charlotte home to serve an involuntary commitment order on her late Friday afternoon, police said.
One of the officers returned fire, critically injuring the woman, police said.
“By the grace of God,” the officer who was shot in her chest had a bulletproof vest on, “and she’s going to be fine,” police Chief Johnny Jennings said in a video released by police.
The shooting unfolded just after 5:30 p.m. at a home in the 8900 block of St. Croix Lane, police said. That’s off Raintree Lane and Four Mile Creek Road near Providence Road in the Raintree community.
A man “opened the door and greeted the officers,” according to a CMPD news release. “Officers called out to the female,” who “responded with gunfire toward three CMPD officers.”
Officers “immediately began rendering aid” to the woman, who was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said.
The three responding officers were taken to a nearby hospital for observation, according to CMPD. Police said they recovered a firearm at the scene.
State Bureau of Investigation agents went to the home to investigate the shooting, CMPD said.
As per standard procedure when an officer shoots someone, CMPD‘s internal affairs bureau “will conduct a separate but parallel investigation,” according to the police release.
“This is a good example of why these kind of calls for service are so dangerous,” Jennings said. “Officers have to be vigilant at all times. We never know what we’re stepping into when we’re serving these involuntary commitment orders.
“But it’s important that when we are serving them that we are cautious of what we’re getting ready to encounter, and this is a good example of that,” the chief said in the video that CMPD recorded near the home.
“Thank goodness our officers are OK,” Jennings said. “We still will be praying for the female who was shot as well, but this is a good time to reflect on how dangerous our job is and how important it is to keep our community safe.”
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