Officer Involved Shooting on 11/19

[OnCrime]

The following is a press release from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police about the police officer involved shooting that occurred on November 20, 2006.

Released: November 20, 2006 6:00 a.m.

SUSPECTS HIT OFFICER WITH VEHICLE, OFFICER SHOOTS FLEEING SUSPECT

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is conducting an investigation into an officer-involved shooting that resulted in the death of one suspect, Johnny Ray McNeal. (DOB: 3-03-64) A second suspect, Damion Nigel Smith (DOB 1-10-72) was transported to Carolinas Medical Center as a precautionary measure before being transported to Police Headquarters for questioning.

As is standard procedure in situations involving the use of deadly force, Officer Jeff Hittle, 28, and Officer Seth Fulton, 30, have been placed on administrative leave. Officer Hittle was hired May 15, 2006, graduated from the Police Academy November 10, 2006 and is assigned to the North Tryon Division. He was riding with his police training officer, Officer Seth Fulton, at the time of the incident. New officers ride with a police training officer for the first 15 weeks following graduation. Officer Fulton, 30, is also assigned to the North Tryon Division. He was hired July 25, 2001.

It is still early in the investigation and most of the details and circumstances have yet to be determined. The following are preliminary findings, some of which are clarifications to initial briefing information provided at 12:15 AM:

· Officers were responding to a call for service around 9:00 p.m. regarding a burglary at 4617 North Tryon Street. The caller indicated two males had broken in and stolen a brown truck

· Officers arriving at that location observed the fencing had been damaged

· Officers made contact with an individual who came down to the location and verified the truck had been stolen

· Other officers in the area spotted the suspect vehicle and attempted to make a stop

· When the vehicle failed to stop, officers turned off emergency equipment (lights and sirens), called for back up and attempted to follow the vehicle

· Officers lost sight of the vehicle, began patrolling area neighborhoods and located the vehicle near Dalecrest Drive off North Graham Street near I-85

· As officers approached the suspect vehicle, they observed the vehicle traveling in reverse for several blocks. When the suspect vehicle stopped, officers got out of their vehicles to approach the suspects

· The driver of the suspect vehicle accelerated and the truck struck Officer Hittle

· Officer Hittle fired his service weapon one time at the vehicle

· The suspect vehicle continued to travel down Dalecrest Drive toward the intersection of Monmouth, hitting signs and mailboxes along the street before hitting a pole

· Officers called for medical assistance. MEDIC rendered aid to the driver of the suspect vehicle, the passenger and Officer Hittle

· The driver of the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene

· The second suspect, a passenger in the truck, was taken into custody and taken to Carolinas Medical Center. He was treated and released and transported to Police Headquarters for questioning.

· Criminal charges are pending

· Identity of the deceased suspect is being withheld pending notification of next of kin

· The second burglary suspect has been identified as Damion Nigel Smith (DOB 1-10-1972). He has more than a dozen local arrests for charges including fraud, aggravated assault, larceny and forgery

· Officer Hittle was treated and released from Presbyterian Hospital

What Happens Next:

Homicide detectives are conducting the criminal investigation. Internal Affairs is conducting a separate, parallel internal investigation. The results of the criminal investigation will be presented to the District Attorney to determine whether any charges are warranted in this case.

A Shooting Review Board, made up the officer’s chain of command, Internal Affairs and an outside civilian participant from the Community Relations Committee, will review all available evidence and interview appropriate witnesses to determine whether any departmental policies were violated.

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Photo of the Shooting Victim Johnny Ray McNeal


Photo of 2nd man suspected of stealing the vehicle, Damion Nigel Smith:

[Jim]

Good news and bad news........good news; apparently the officer
only suffered minor injuries and a dangerous thug was taken off the streets.

Bad news; the other perp will soon be plying his trade again.

To Officer Hittle; it's unfortunate you were confronted with this situation so early in your career, you only did what you had to do,
I hope you suffer no adverse affects from it.

Thank You for putting your life on the line for us!

[copper911]

Jim,

Thanks so much for supporting YOUR local law enforcement.

[fedup]

Good to here support for the Officer unlike the media. Do you notice that every time the police are involved in a shooting how the media reports it, they are always spinning it as if the police officer is at fault and they do not go into the details to what the thug did to cause the situation.