Man dead, officer shot in arm while executing search warrant in Hickory

HICKORY, N.C. — Police were investigating an officer-involved shooting early Friday morning in Hickory that left one man dead and an officer injured.

The shooting was reported around 7:30 a.m. while police were serving a search warrant for drugs at a home on 12th Street Drive NW, officials said.

Police said William David Whetstone, 33, who was the person they were looking for.

[IMAGES: Man dead, officer shot in arm at Hickory home]

Police said that when they entered the house, Whetstone did not obey verbal commands and he reached between the cushions of a sofa, pulled out a handgun and pointed it at officers.

(William David Whetstone)

Chad Stiles was asleep inside the home when he woke up to officers in the home.

"I was faced down and all I could hear was the cops saying 'Don't pull a gun, don't pull a gun,' and five rapid shots go off, pow, pow, pow," Stiles said.

Investigators said Whetstone was shot and killed, and a police officer was shot in the arm and taken to a hospital.

The officer, Sgt. Rodney N. Harris, was treated and released for his injuries, police said.

Eyewitness News reporter Dave Faherty was the first on the scene and was reporting that the district attorney, along with family members, had arrived.

The State Bureau of Investigation was also called to investigate.

Channel 9 checked and found that Whetstone has a lengthy criminal past and was due in court Monday for trafficking heroin and next month for robbery with a dangerous weapon and being a habitual felon.

Family members and friends said he struggled with substance abuse issues and had only gotten out of jail recently.

"He was a good guy. He never would have struck somebody," friend Jennie Powell said.

"He's had some hard times. He struggled but he was a good dude. No matter what, he'd give you the shirt off his back," friend David Sexton said.

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Officials have not released any further information.

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