Police identify man killed in deadly officer-involved shooting in Mooresville

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Police are investigating a deadly officer-involved shooting in Mooresville.

It happened around 9:30 p.m. Sunday at a home on Heritage Place, just off South Magnolia Street.

Officers said they were responding to reports of a domestic assault at the home when they saw 38-year-old Christopher Kimmons Craven sitting on the front porch armed with a gun.

According to authorities, when the officers pulled up they immediately told Craven they were police officers and commanded him to show his hands several times.

Police said Craven suddenly reached for his gun from his waist and pointed it at officers. That’s when the officers opened fire, hitting Craven. They said they administered CPR until medic got there, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers were hurt in the confrontation.

Channel 9′s veteran crime reporter Mark Becker spoke with family and a neighbor Monday afternoon, who said a concerned family member called police because they thought Craven might be about to hurt himself.

A neighbor said they heard a couple of shots followed by several more shots after that.

A family member told Channel 9 Craven was suffering from depression. They said the rest of the family -- his wife and three children -- were inside the house and did not see what happened.

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Neighbors said Craven was well-known and had been there for others in the community.

“We have a widow right here and when her husband died he was the first one to step up and cut her grass and do everything he could. He grew up in this neighborhood so he knew everyone,” neighbor Christina Darnell said.

The officers involved in the shooting will be placed on leave throughout the investigation, which is standard procedure.

The State Bureau of Investigations is now the lead agency on the case.

This is an ongoing investigation. Check back with wsoctv.com for more information.

Cox Media Group