GASTONIA, N.C. — A man was shot and killed by a police officer Wednesday afternoon after authorities first responded to a home for a kidnapping call, according to the Gastonia Police Department. An officer responding to the call was also hit by a car during the incident, authorities said.
Officers said they were called to a home just after 12:30 p.m. on North Edgemont Avenue off of Highway 74.
In an update just before 2:30 p.m., Gastonia Police Public Information Officer Rick Goodale said officers got a call saying two kids had been taken by a man who was not supposed to have them. Goodale said they arrived at the home on North Edgemont Avenue and found the two children safe and unharmed inside.
Goodale said that was when they also found the man who was suspected of taking the children nearby. He said the man had “some sort of encounter” on the street with police, and that was when he hit one of the officers with the car he was driving.
“During the course of the investigation, the suspect was operating a vehicle and struck one of our officers,” Goodale said.
According to Goodale, multiple officers fired their guns, hitting the suspect. It’s too early to know which officer did, he said. He also said he did not know if the suspect was inside or outside of the car at the time of the shooting.
Police said the suspect, who family identified as 21-year-old Jason Lipscomb, died at the scene. Investigators said the officer who was hit had a police escort to the hospital with serious injuries.
Goodale said though the relationship is unclear, everyone involved in the situation knew each other.
Police said they are not looking for any additional suspects in connection to the shooting.
Channel 9′s Ken Lemon spoke to a stepfather at the scene who said he saw police shot and kill his stepson.
“When I started praying, all I hear is gunshots. Nothing but gun shots,” Robert Hamlett said.
Hamlett said he didn’t know what was happening outside his home, and that when he stepped out on the porch, he saw Lipscomb with police around him.
Other family members heard about the shooting minutes after it happened and also rushed to the scene. One uncle had to be held back because he wanted to cross the police line and see everything for himself. Lipscomb’s mother also came to the police line hoping someone would tell her the news wasn’t true.
Family members said Lipscomb didn’t have a weapon at the time of the shooting. Goodale said that’s part of the investigation.
.@GPDNC: the relationship between suspect and children isn’t clear, but they are known to each other
— Allison Latos (@AllisonWSOC9) July 20, 2022
Chopper 9 Skyzoom flew overhead the scene and could see a car with damage to its front and crime scene tape surrounding the area.
“That’s insane because that’s my kids and I wouldn’t want that to happen to them. I never hear anything out here. Everyone stays to themselves. Police aren’t down here or nothing like that,” neighbor Jennifer Shoemaker said.
Authorities asked people to avoid the area as police conducted their investigation.
As standard procedure for all officer-involved shootings, the State Bureau of Investigation is responding to investigate along with GPD internal affairs.
“The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is responding and will take over the investigation of the officer-involved shooting,” Goodale said.
Return to this story for updates.
(WATCH: Gastonia police give update after officer fatally shot man)
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