By Lexi Solomon and Mark Schultz
Source The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Two men are dead and a Raleigh police officer was in critical condition at WakeMed hospital late Tuesday night after a shootout in south Raleigh, Police Chief Estella Patterson said.
The shooting took place just before 6 p.m. in the Renaissance Park neighborhood, bringing dozens of law enforcement officers and vehicles to the area south of the Raleigh Beltline and west of Wilmington Street.
One man died at the scene. Patterson announced the second man’s death at an 11:30 p.m. news conference, declining to name either man.
The injured officer was out of surgery, Patterson said. The department was not releasing his name Tuesday night at his family’s request.
Burglary call
Investigators are still working through the details, but the chief said the incident began with a 911 call about a burglary in progress just after 5:30 p.m. on the 600 block of Democracy Street.
A female caller said she knew the suspect from a previous relationship, Patterson said.
Officers arriving on the scene heard gunfire from the house and radioed for help, with several agencies responding.
A man inside the house shot at police, and police returned gunfire, killing him, according to police.
The second man shot inside the house was taken to the hospital, where he died, Patterson said.
Police believe that “everything occurred inside the residence,” the chief said.
‘A difficult time’
“The incident and events that occurred tonight are deeply troubling,” Patterson said. “They’re concerning to me, and I know they cause fear to the community.”
“But I want you to know Raleigh is a strong community, a resilient community, and we’ll get through this together,” she said.
Tuesday night’s shooting came just days after a shooting at a North Hills restaurant left two dead and one injured.
“The last couple of days have been a difficult time for our Police Department and our city,” Patterson said. “What we have endured as a community has been heavy.”
Support from elected officials
Gov. Josh Stein posted on X that Patterson had briefed him about the shooting and that he was praying for the officer’s recovery.
Attorney General Jeff Jackson and U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis also posted messages of support for the Police Department and the injured officer.
On Chapanoke Road, around the corner from the shooting, snow was falling just after 7:30 p.m. as officers packed up their tactical gear, including long guns.
Police will now conduct an internal review to make sure officers followed department policies and release a five-day report with additional information about the incident.
The State Bureau of Investigation will also investigate the shooting, which is routine when officers discharge their weapons. The SBI will release its findings to the District Attorney’s Office.
Staff writers Avi Bajpai and Anna Roman and photojournalist Ethan Hyman contributed to this report.
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