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5th suspect charged after off-duty CMPD officer shoots 17-year-old would-be robber

CHARLOTTE — Five people are now facing charges in connection with a shooting that involved an off-duty Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer early Dec. 27 in south Charlotte.

The SBI is investigating the shooting that happened around midnight at an apartment complex on Waterford Tide Loop off Johnston Road.

Police said a group of people walked up to off-duty CMPD officer Emily Bishop and her husband and tried to rob the couple.

Officials said Bishop fired her service weapon and the suspects returned fire. A 17-year-old suspect was hit and eventually caught while several others ran from the scene.

He had injuries that were not life-threatening and was taken to a hospital, CMPD said.

There were no reports of any other officers being injured.

On Jan. 10, police announced they had arrested three additional suspects:

  • A 17-year-old juvenile has been charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, robbery with a dangerous weapon and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon. His name will not be released due to his age.
  • Edwin Herrera, 19, has been charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, robbery with a dangerous weapon, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon and second-degree burglary.
  • Devin Clayton Jacobs, 26, has been charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, robbery with a dangerous weapon, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon and second-degree burglary.

On Thursday, police announced the arrest of 22-year-old Arthur Tyrone Mitchell. He’s charged with two counts of assault with deadly weapon with intent to kill, attempted robbery with dangerous weapon, robbery with dangerous weapon and second-degree burglary.

The same suspects burglarized and robbed another resident at the apartment complex minutes before the shooting.

Bishop was hired by the CMPD on June 18, 2018, and is assigned as a patrol officer in the Freedom Division. She has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure anytime an officer discharges his or her weapon.

Residents said they were not allowed to leave the complex during the initial part of the investigation. They have been able to come and go since then, residents said.

State agents investigate shooting involving CMPD officer (WSOC)

The SBI handles all CMPD police shooting cases now. The district attorney ordered that change back in August. He said the SBI has investigated shootings in other Mecklenburg County towns for years.

This is the third police shooting in Charlotte since then.

Former CMPD police officer Lee Ratliff told Eyewitness News anchor Damany Lewis the SBI will work to answer two questions: exactly what happened and why.

Ratliff said during most police shootings, officers only have moments to react -- up to five seconds.

“If she is carrying her service weapon, that is not uncommon. Most police officers, off-duty or on-duty, carry their weapon. It becomes a part of them,” Ratliff said. “When put in that situation like that life or death, you may have an opportunity to issue a warning, you may not.”

The SBI handling officer-involved shootings is part of CMPD’s new policy and Ratliff said he believes it is the right move.

“It’s important because there is always a level of suspicion if you are investigating your own people and not to say CMPD has done anything wrong, you just want to make sure there is transparency,” Ratliff said.

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