GASTONIA, N.C. — A woman who allegedly shot at a man trying to help her after a crash outside a Gastonia Walmart was shot by police, officials confirmed.
The crash happened around 7 a.m. in the parking lot of the Walmart on East Franklin Boulevard, police said. A man stopped to help the woman when she got out of the car and started shooting, according to Gastonia Police. The responding officer shot the woman one time.
Two witnesses said they saw the woman shooting as they pulled into the parking lot. They told WCNC Charlotte's Richard DeVayne they believed a man was trying to help her until they heard gunshots. The witnesses said they saw several children in the woman's car as she fired randomly in the parking lot.
The woman, who hasn't been identified, had three children inside the car, according to police. The woman's injuries aren't considered life-threatening. One of the kids was taken to the hospital as a precaution due to respiratory issues not related to the shooting, police said.
"We drove by right as she pulled up," one of the witnesses said. "We thought he was helping her because he was outside her car. There were three gunshots and I heard somebody scream and she let out like eight or 10 more shots."
The officer who shot the woman hasn't been identified. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation. Gastonia police are also investigating to determine that all department policies were followed.
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