PINEVILLE, N.C. — An off-duty officer with the Pineville Police Department is deemed justified in shooting a man who reportedly fought with officers in May 2024.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department announced Tuesday it would not be filing charges in the case after its homicide unit investigated for potential criminal aspects. An internal investigation with Pineville Police is still being conducted.
The shooting unfolded on May 14 after 46-year-old Dennis Bodden reportedly stole from a Food Lion grocery store on Johnston Road in Pineville. The off-duty Pineville sergeant - in full uniform and a marked cruiser - spotted Bodden and ordered him to stop. However, Bodden reportedly ignored the orders and instead crossed the road into Charlotte, heading into the Berkshire Place apartment complex.
After the sergeant called for backup, Bodden reportedly started fighting him. The sergeant tried using his stun gun, but it wasn't effective and Bodden kept running away as backup arrived.
Another officer tried using a stun gun on Bodden, but it didn't work according to police. Bodden then reportedly tried lunging at the sergeant and tried to grab his service weapon, but the sergeant shot and killed Bodden.
CMPD investigated the shooting because the apartment complex was within Charlotte city limits. The Pineville sergeant was placed on administrative leave for the internal investigation.
Pineville Police noted Bodden had a history of shoplifting from that Food Lion and had two outstanding felony warrants for breaking and entering and larceny tied to it. He was also known to be violent toward police and members of the public. Bodden's criminal history also includes assaulting a woman, assault with a deadly weapon and communicating threats in April 2024.
Similar to CMPD, the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office concurred that the shooting of Bodden was justified. In a published letter from DA Spencer B. Merriweather III, the office said body-worn camera footage showed Bodden was likely reaching for the sergeant's gun and that he did fear for his safety.
WCNC Charlotte spoke with the woman in the case and said he tried to break into her home, threatened her with a baseball bat and had mental health issues.
Bodden's family called for a full investigation into the shooting. His mother Cleopatra said Bodden, who was a biochemistry and law graduate, lived with "bipolar schizophrenia".
"They call me and they offer prayers and the Holy Spirit," she said. "I’m a Christian. I believe in Jesus Christ and I believe in the Holy Spirit, but where was the Holy Spirit and their humanity when they shot my son down like a dog?”
Corrine Mack, president of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP branch, questioned why there wasn't a crisis response team on the scene at the time.
"If in fact, and it looks as if that's the case, there are some mental health issues, where was the Pineville Police mental health crisis team?" Mack asked. "I believe if that team was deployed for this particular situation he would be alive today."
If your loved one was impacted by this incident, WCNC Charlotte hopes to make this process less painful with our More Than A Number initiative. With your help, we want to share who your loved one was with our viewers in North Carolina and South Carolina. When you're ready, fill out the form below or send us photos, memories and other details about them to desk@wcnc.com.