By Paul Woolverton and Nathan Hardin
The Fayetteville Observer
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A burglary suspect who fired at a Fayetteville police officer died after a shoot-out with officers on Rosehill Road near Huff Street Tuesday afternoon.
Police at the scene said the officer’s leg injury did not appear to be life-threatening. He was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center.
The suspect had been pointed out by the homeowner to police, who were responding to a burglary call reported at 2:58 p.m. The homeowner was moved to safety before police engaged with the suspect.
After the initial engagement with officers, the suspect pulled a gun and began to fire, hitting one officer in the leg. The fallen officer and others returned fire at the suspect in the front door area of the home.
The suspect retreated into the house. It was not known how many shots were fired, how many hit the suspect or where on the suspect the shots hit.
Police were unable to confirm his status until sending a robot into the house about an hour after responding to the burglary call.
Police confirmed the suspect’s death about 4:30.
A large area in the neighborhood near Warrenwood Elementary School was blocked off for about two hours. Police were prevalent, some in SWAT gear, and marked and unmarked patrol cars filled the Warrenwood Estates neighborhood streets in several directions.
Emergency radio traffic and an eyewitness said Rosehill Road was shut down between Stacey Weaver Drive and Country Club Drive, and that officers were urgently warning people to stay away.
Warrenwood Elementary School was placed on code yellow as a precaution. Students had already been released. A school spokeswoman said this was a precaution for staff.
Copyright 2014 The Fayetteville Observer