GASTONIA, N.C. โ A suspect was shot and killed by police in Gastonia Wednesday afternoon, the Gastonia Police Department said.
The shooting happened when officers responded to a reported kidnapping from a day care along West Fifth Avenue near Heathwood Drive around 12:30 p.m. A Gastonia police spokesperson said officers were told a man, later identified as 21-year-old Jason Lipscomb, had taken two children from the building.
WCNC Charlotte confirmed the day care was Precious Moments Childcare Center on West Fifth Avenue.
While the suspect and children knew each other, police said Lipscomb was reportedly not authorized to take them.
After getting a vehicle description from witnesses, officers said they located him along North Edgemont Avenue, near Craig Avenue and Poston Circle.
When officers arrived at the home on North Edgemont, they found the kids inside a house safe and unharmed. Officers were told Lipscomb might still be in the area, and he was found inside a car.
At some point during that encounter, police say Lipscomb tried to drive away and hit an officer with his car. Officers fired their weapons and struck the suspect. According to the department, CPR was immediately performed, but Lipscomb died on the scene.
Gastonia police issued a video Thursday that appears to show the suspect hitting an officer with a vehicle while trying to drive away. Officers responding to the scene opened fire at the suspect.
Residents in the neighborhood told WCNC Charlotte they feel unsettled about the scary moment that happened just a few doors down from them.
"It's too close to home," Rhonda Sowell said. "I never in a million years would expect it to be right here.โ
Neighbors were also surprised to hear about the kidnapping at Precious Moments, as they had nothing but good things to say about the day care. An employee at Precious Moments told WCNC Charlotte they could not comment further on the incident due to the active investigation.
"Maybe they gotta change some policies, I donโt know," Sowell said. "I don't want to crucify them either."
The officer struck by the car sustained serious injuries and is now stable, according to police. Investigators haven't released the name of the officer(s) involved in the incident. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) was called to lead the investigation, and Gastonia Police confirmed the agency had opened it up. The department said they will conduct their own parallel investigation, and has placed the officers on administrative leave per standard protocol.
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