CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg SWAT team found the body of a man who barricaded himself inside his home early Friday morning. They said he fired gunshots at a CMPD officer and caused a standoff.
The man has now been identified by police as 48-year-old David Martin Sebaste.
Police responded to a disturbance call at 115 Hollyday Court in South Charlotte around 11:15 p.m. Thursday.
The 911 caller told dispatch a man was outside his house cursing and honking his car horn. The caller also said the man was armed with a handgun.
VIDEO: Suspect Dead After Standoff With Police
Officer Patrick Howell was the first officer to arrive at the scene and encountered Sebaste on the lawn. Howell saw that Sebaste was armed and ordered him to drop the weapon, police said.
Howell said Sebaste yelled at him in what he described as an angry manner. "What's up?" Sebaste said. "Quit shining your light on me."
That's when Howell began telling the man to put the gun down. At that time, Sebaste fired several shots at Howell, police said.
The officer then fired several rounds from his pistol, police said.
Howell was not injured during the exchange of fire and police said Sebaste ran back inside his house and barricaded himself inside the home.
As part of standard procedure during a barricade situation, Howell called for the SWAT team.
After several unsuccessful attempts to contact Sebaste, SWAT personnel entered the home. They found him and pronounced him dead at 1:50 a.m. Friday.
Police did not find anyone else inside the home.
They said it appears Sebaste sustained a gunshot wound to his lower body.
CMPD Chief Rodney Monroe told Eyewitness News that the wound likely occurred during the shootout with Howell. He said that he would not know for sure until after the medical examiner conducts an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Homicide detectives said they are investigating the incident. Detectives with Internal Affairs also plan to conduct an investigation to ensure that all department procedures were followed.
Howell, who has been with the department since January 2008, has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is routine whenever an officer is involved in a shooting.
WSOC
