CHARLOTTE — One person is dead following an officer-involved shooting in west Charlotte Saturday morning, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
The incident occurred around 6 a.m. at home on Catherine Simmons Avenue near Beatties Ford Road.
CMPD said they received reports about two people fighting, and at least one of the people involved was actively shooting. They said they also heard active gunfire in the area.
At the scene, police said they found the man with the firearm and repeatedly told him to drop the gun.
Police said at some point, the man raised his firearm in the direction of officers, so they fired multiple shots, striking the suspect.
CMPD says the man then went back into the home on Catherine Simmons Avenue, where he later died. The man was later identified as 33-year-old, Sanrico McGill.
MEDIC attempted to render aid, but the suspect was pronounced deceased, according to police.
CMPD said no officers were injured; however, they are being evaluated at an area hospital.
The investigation into this case will be handled by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations.
Veteran crime reporter, Glenn Counts, went to the neighborhood McGill once called home and spoke with his mother, Demetrics McGill who says the entire incident sparked from a mental health crisis; something he’s been struggling with for years. McGill told Counts, she’s been trying to get her son committed to receive treatment since Friday
“Me and my son we went down there and I signed the commitment for them to come down and treat him, take him to Mental Health,” she said.
Antonio Sullivan, a neighbor, was woken up by shots and screams around 6 a.m. on Saturday.
“We heard 5 shots around 6 a.m. to 6:05 a.m. that’s what woke me up and the screaming coming across the street,” Sullivan said, “I could not see a gun, but he did raise his hand and that’s when the officers started shooting.”
CMPD Chief, Johnny Jennings, says officers gave multiple commands for McGill to drop the weapon.
“Those commands were not met to drop the firearm at some point it is indicated that the individual did raise the firearm and officers at that time did fire multiple shots,” Jennings said.
Police sources say the man McGill was allegedly arguing with was his brother, possibly causing officers to think his life was in danger. McGill believes her son’s death was unnecessary and that CMPD could’ve handled the situation with a little more patience.
“I called y’all to help my son, take him to the place, I didn’t know y’all come to kill my baby,” McGill said.
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