Weaverville officer shot man after being pepper-sprayed, police say; NC SBI investigating

During a suspected theft at a Weaverville Walmart on Oct. 28, a man used pepper spray on a Weaverville Police Department officer before the officer shot him, officials said. The shot was not fatal.

On Oct. 28 around 9:20 p.m., the WPD officer conducted a “crime prevention detail” at the Walmart on Northridge Commons Parkway in Weaverville, about 20 minutes north of Asheville, according to an Oct. 29 news release from police. .

The officer observed Walmart “asset protection personnel” chasing a man into the parking lot. The officer then tried to help Walmart security staff restrain the man, the release said.

“When the officer attempted to stop the man suspected of stealing from the store, the officer was assaulted by the suspect and pepper-sprayed,” the release said. “The officer then discharged his firearm, striking the suspect.”

The man was arrested and transported to Mission Hospital for treatment. The officer also suffered injuries that were treated at Mission Hospital, and he has since been released.

Following standard reporting protocol, WPD contacted the NC State Bureau of Investigation to conduct an independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting, the news release said. The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of SBI’s investigation.

“The Weaverville Police Department understands the community’s concerns and is committed to transparency in this matter,” the statement said.

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This story will be updated.

Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. She is a graduate of Indiana University and was the 2022 Citizen Times Summer News Reporting Intern. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Weaverville officer investigated by NC SBI after officer-involved shooting