GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — State detectives are investigating after a man was shot and killed by police in Bessemer City Wednesday.
Bessemer City Police Department confirmed Billy Jack Barker, 44, was killed by police while officers were sent to a home on Sunset Avenue Wednesday to serve a warrant around 8 a.m.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) said while officers were serving warrants on two wanted suspects, Barker, who was also wanted by police, was found at the home. According to the SBI, Barker ran from police when they tried to take him into custody. That chase continued into a wooded area beside the house when they commanded him to show his hands.
Bessemer City Police said Barker refused to listen to the commands and reportedly tried several times to reach for something from his waistband. The officers said they believed this was a possibly threatening action and fired their weapons. Barker was shot and taken to a hospital for treatment but was later pronounced dead.
Neighbors spoke with WCNC Charlotte, including Patsy Grigg, who said she knew him for years.
“He’s my son’s best friend,” Grigg said.
Grigg said Barker often stayed with them at their home, living in a camper behind the house.
“This time about a month and a half, in between jail stays,” she said, alleging he had previously been charged with sexual crimes against children, who she said were his grandchildren.
“He didn’t have nowhere else to go,” Grigg said.
But this stay would be his last.
“Officers started chasing him and shot him between two houses as he was unarmed, unarmed and running away and they shoot and kill him,” said friend, Jessica Grigg, who believes there should have been another way for this to end. “If he did a crime, or did something, fine, arrest him, put him in jail, let him do his time, but you don’t murder somebody.”
Bessemer City police said no officers were injured. Officers C.L. Jarvis and Detective D.F. James have been placed on administrative duty, according to the department. Bessemer City Police said this is standard protocol any time an officer fires their weapon.
The SBI is the primary agency investigating what happened, and Bessemer City's own Internal Affairs Bureau will conduct their own separate but parallel investigation.
Contact Ashley Daley at adaley@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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