CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A standoff that went for nearly 24 hours in southwest Charlotte came to an end Monday afternoon when a man took his own life, police said.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said in a tweet that the standoff at a home in the Lions Gate community off South Tryon Street in Steele Creek concluded. No further details were given. CMPD said officers heard a gunshot from inside the home around 12:30 p.m. When police got inside, they found the man dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Detectives have not identified the man at this time.
CMPD said the man fired a shot from inside the home around 4 a.m. Monday. As a precaution, nearby homes were evacuated and CMPD moved bus stop pickup for kids in the community. The Lions Gate community is just south of Carowinds Boulevard along South Tryon.
No CMPD officers were injured or fired their weapons during the incident.
One neighbor said they saw a man with a rifle and the standoff began around noon Sunday. With the subdivision closed and a possible threat to public safety, CMPD moved the school bus pickup location for families in the area.
A woman who lives in the neighborhood said she saw SWAT agents outside her window Sunday evening.
"We were standing outside watching," she said. "'They [the police] said if you can see that garage, you're in the line of fire so you need to go inside.' We were told he has a rifle."
If you or a loved one are facing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, there is help readily available. You can call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or chat with them online. There are also resources in North Carolina available here and in South Carolina available here.
Contact Richard DeVayne at rdevayne@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Contact Brandon Golder at bgoldner@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.