FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — A Fayetteville felon shot himself early Monday morning while he was placed in police custody.
Early Monday morning, officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to a shots fired notification from Shot Spotter in the 6900 block of Cliffdale Road.
After arriving, police saw a man walking through the empty parking lot. Officers made contact with the suspect and he was detained while an investigation was underway.
During the initial search of the suspect, police said they found a firearm. Further investigation into the suspect revealed that he was a convicted felon, which prohibited him from having a firearm.
While handcuffed with his hands behind his back, during a secondary search, the suspect was able to reach for another firearm concealed in his pockets and shot himself.
Police said they began life-saving measures and requested medical personnel to the scene. The suspect was life-flighted to a hospital to receive treatment. He is currently in stable condition.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation was contacted to conduct an investigation into the in-custody incident. The involved officers will be placed on administrative duty, pending the outcome of the investigation.
The Fayetteville Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit will conduct an internal investigation to ensure all departmental policies and procedures were followed during the incident.
Police did not release the names of the officers involved or the suspect’s identity.
