Two injured in Burlington Police officer-involved shooting
Two men had non-life-threatening injuries after an officer-involved shooting early Wednesday on Sellars Mill Road, according to Burlington Police.
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At 4:18 a.m. Wednesday, officers responded to a call about a break-in at 506 S. Sellars Mill Road, Burlington, according to the news release. Residents said a strange man forced his way into the house and was acting erratically.
When officers got to the house, according to the news release, a man and woman –residents of the home – came out of the house. A second man followed them and then tackled the first. Officers could see they were struggling over a gun. The release did not describe what type of firearm it was.
When officers’ verbal commands did not work, a Burlington Police officer on the scene fired shots. The release does not say how many shots the officer fired, how many officers were on the scene, how many verbal commands they gave or how long the incident took.
The man living in the house was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital and returned home, according to police. The suspect is still in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police are withholding his identity until his family has been notified.
A couple at the house Wednesday afternoon declined to talk to a Times-News reporter. Several neighbors were up early Wednesday morning, though few saw or heard anything of the shooting.
Nextdoor neighbor Esteban Sanchez said he slept through the shooting on his neighbors' walkway but saw police blocking Sellars Mill Road when he left for work at 6 a.m. They had only just cleared the street by the time he got home at 1 p.m.
Thomas Marquez two doors down was up at 4:30 a.m., but the shooting was over by then. The street was open in front of his house at 6 a.m., but his wife had to park around the corner later in the morning as the police perimeter expanded.
According to the police news release, investigators at this early stage think the people living in the house or the alleged intruder may have fired shots as well, though the investigation into who fired the shots that caused the injury is still ongoing.
The large police presence was visible from East Webb Avenue, and passers-by were posting on social media Wednesday morning.
The incident did not affect either of the nearby schools – Broadview Middle School or Cummings High School – according to the Alamance-Burlington School System.
Isaac Groves is an Alamance County watchdog reporter for the Times-News and the USA Today Network. Call or text 919-998-8039 with tips and comments or follow him on Twitter @TNIGroves.
This article originally appeared on Times-News: Burlington Police: Officers fire on two struggling over gun, early Wednesday
