North Carolina Self-Defense: When they went to rob a man at gunpoint, his wife fired her gun. She's a Charlotte cop. :: 12/27/2019

Early Friday, multiple suspects approached a couple in the parking lot of an apartment complex in south Charlotte. When they tried to rob the husband at gunpoint, the woman, an off-duty Charlotte-Mecklenburg officer, took out her gun and fired it, police said.

According to the police, the other suspects fired back then fled the scene, and a 17-year-old male suspect was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The officer, Emily Bishop, was unharmed.

The State Bureau of Investigation has launched an investigation into the shooting, which took place at 12:15 a.m. in the 7900 block of Waterford Tide Loop. An SBI investigation is standard procedure when a CMPD officer shoots and injures someone.

Information and evidence gathered around the scene indicate that the same suspects committed a burglary and armed robbery of a resident in the apartment complex minutes prior to the shooting, police said.

While the other suspects are still at large, the 17-year-old will be charged with two assaults with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and attempted robbery and robbery with a dangerous weapon, police said. Authorities did not say how many other suspects they are seeking.

Bishop, who was hired in June 2018 and is a patrol officer in the Freedom Division, has been placed on administrative leave. That is standard procedure, police said.

CMPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau will conduct a separate investigation to determine whether the officer’s conduct and decision to fire her gun followed department policy.

CMPD is also investigating the armed robbery and burglary that occurred before the shooting.

A prior shooting

It’s the second time in six weeks that CMPD officers have been involved in a shooting.

On Nov. 15, two off-duty CMPD officers working security jobs fired their guns during an altercation involving two men outside the Epicentre in uptown, the Observer previously reported.

One of the men, Treon McCoy, died during an exchange of gunfire, and the other was wounded, CMPD said. However, investigators have not confirmed whether an officer’s bullet is what killed the victim.

Both officers were placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure anytime an officer discharges his or her weapon, CMPD says.

The SBI is investigating that shooting too and has not released details.

Mark Price has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1991, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, the LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology.

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/crime/article238746208.html