Early Monday morning, a suspect in a shooting shot himself with a concealed firearm while in custody of Fayetteville Police Department officers.
Officers responded to a report of shots fired from a Shot Spotter location in the 6900 block of Cliffdale Road. They saw a man walking through an empty parking lot, according to a police news release.
The man was later identified as Lawrence Artis, 29, and was taken into custody.
When officers initiall searched Aritis, they found a firearm. They determined that he was a convicted felon, which means he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Investigators said that during a second search, Artis was handcuffed with his hands behind his back. But he was able to reach for a second firearm concealed in his pants pocket and shot himself, the news release said.
Officers began life-saving measures immediately and requested a medical crew to the scene.
Artis was transported by aircraft to a hospital for treatment. He was reported in critical condition, the release said.
The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation was asked to investigate the case. The Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit also will conduct an internal investigation to ensure departmental policies and procedures were adhered to, the release said.
The officers involved were identified as Justin DeHaan, Trent Folk, and Ryan Hirschi. They are currently on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation, the release said.
