A routine patrol in Fuquay-Varina turned volatile Friday when a police officer fired at a person who, authorities say, pointed a gun at the officer along the railroad tracks behind Action Park. The officer was not injured, and the person took off on foot, disappearing into the area near the tracks as law enforcement swarmed in.
What Police Say Happened
According to WRAL, the officer was on patrol when he spotted a man walking along the railroad tracks behind Action Park. The man allegedly pointed a firearm at the officer, and the officer responded by discharging his service weapon. The man then fled, and officers were not able to immediately track him down.
WRAL reports that the Wake County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol joined Fuquay-Varina officers in searching the area, focusing on the stretch of railroad running behind the park.
Where It Went Down
The tracks described by police run behind Action Park on Wake Chapel Road. The town lists the park at Town of Fuquay-Varina. Early information released to the public did not include the identity of the person who ran from the scene.
The Fuquay-Varina Police Department is asking anyone who may have seen something or has information about the incident to contact its tip line at 919-552-3191 or email [email protected], as listed on the department’s contact page.
Investigations and What Comes Next
In North Carolina, officer-involved shootings are often followed by independent reviews. The State Bureau of Investigation is frequently asked to step in and conduct a separate investigation in such cases, a role the N.C. SBI has outlined in past public statements and press releases.
Officials have not yet said whether the SBI will be called in to investigate this latest incident in Fuquay-Varina.
