Woman shot after hitting officer with her car in Huntersville, police say

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A woman was shot by officers after hitting a police officer with her vehicle early Saturday morning, according to the Huntersville Police Department.

Around 1:15 a.m., officers responded to a domestic disturbance on Cordial Lane near Merry Chase Lane.

At the scene, the complainant told police that the suspect, later identified as 44-year-old Amanda Nicole Benton, was sitting inside of her vehicle in the parking lot.

When officers attempted to approach Benton, she accelerated her vehicle and hit an officer. The officer then fired their gun into Benton’s vehicle, striking her, according to reports.

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Officers said Benton was then taken to an area hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

She has been charged with second-degree kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill, three counts of simple assault, false imprisonment, domestic assault, resisting an officer, and assault with a deadly weapon.

Two officers were also taken to an area hospital with minor injuries but have since been released.

One resident told Channel 9 that they heard officers shouting before the shooting began.

“I’m 78 years old, I don’t go to sleep early, I’m working on my computer then bang ... bang. About a second, second, and a half split between. I’m ex-military so I know they were gunshots,” resident Richard Brewton explained.

Another resident said they are not used to this kind of violence in their neighborhood.

“I was sick to my stomach. I was up all night. I was so shocked, that I wanted to throw up. And I’m still in very big shock,” one neighbor expressed.

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Following standard protocol, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation will be investigating this officer-involved shooting.

The officer involved in the shooting has also been placed on paid administrative leave. Their identity will be released following the investigation.

This investigation into the incident is active and ongoing. Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact Detective Lieutenant Jennifer Sprague at 704-464-5400 or jsprague@huntersville.org.

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