Mount Holly officer dies after shooting in Gaston County

Mark Price, Amanda Zhou

A Mount Holly Police officer has died following an an exchange of gunfire early Friday in the Belmont area of Gaston County, according to Charlotte Mecklenburg Police. The suspect is currently in custody, officials said.

The identities of the officer and suspect have not been released.

CMPD says it happened around 3:30 a.m. during a break-in call at 313 Beatty Drive, a car wash east of Belmont Abbey College. The area is northwest of Charlotte, just outside of Mecklenburg County.

“When officers arrived, they encountered an armed subject. During the encounter, several shots were fired between the subject and several Mount Holly police officers, in addition to a Gaston County police officer who responded to the incident,” CMPD said in a news release.

“A Mount Holly police officer was shot during the incident. He was transported to Caromont Main with serious injuries. The subject sustained a gunshot wound during the incident, resulting in a minor injury,” the release said.

The suspect was treated at the hospital and released, then “transported to the Gaston County Jail, where he remains in their custody,” CMPD said.

The Observer’s news partner WBTV reports the shooting took place at the Mount Holly Car Wash on Beatty Drive.

North Carolina’s State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the incident, CMPD said.

“As is standard procedure with any officer involved shooting, the Internal Affairs Bureau with the Mount Holly Police Department will conduct a separate but parallel investigation to determine whether department policies and procedures were followed,” CMPD said.

A portion of NC 273 was closed Friday in the immediate area “as detectives investigate the circumstances of the incident. Please use an alternate route,” CMPD said in a tweet.

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