Police: Fletcher domestic call leads to heavy police presence at apartment complex
FLETCHER - Police and Henderson County deputies showed up in large numbers at an apartment complex here on March 29, responding to a domestic call that "turned into a barricaded person" and a suicide, according to the police department.
Earlier in the day, law enforcement swarmed at Seasons at Cane Creek apartments. Officers responded to a 911 call at 9:52 a.m., Police Chief Daniel Terry said in an email.
"A domestic assault was reported with a woman being forced out of her home without clothing," the email said. "When officers attempted to contact the 30-year-old male resident, he was found armed with a handgun pointed to his head. He ignored officers’ orders to drop the weapon. Officers retreated from the apartment and requested additional assistance from the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office S.W.A.T. and Crisis Negotiation Team."
Nearby apartments were evacuated, and "numerous attempts" were made to contact the man, the email said.
"No officers discharged their firearm," he said.
"He never responded to officers’ requests to speak with him," Terry wrote. "At approximately 11:19 a.m. a single gunshot was heard from within the apartment. Entry was made into the apartment and the man was found with a gunshot wound. Emergency aid was rendered to the man who subsequently died from his injury."
As his family has not been notified, the department has not released his name yet, Terry said.
By 12:45 p.m., the scene was mostly quiet with residents coming and going and only a few police cars still in sight.
A desk worker at the complex declined to comment.
In an email, Sheriff's Office spokesperson Johnny Duncan confirmed that deputies offered assistance.
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The complex is the site of the in-custody death of Christopher Hensley on June 15, 2022. Hensley was pinned facedown by multiple officers and punched and kneed shortly before dying, as seen in a video taken by a resident of his apartment complex. The state medical examiner classified Hensley’s death a homicide. It has been under investigation by the SBI for nine months.
The Citizen Times has requested audio of any 911 calls made from the complex on March 29.
Ryan Oehrli covers public safety, breaking news, courts and other beats for the Citizen-Times. Comments? Questions? Tips? Send them to coehrli@citizentimes.com or 252-944-6816. Please support local, daily journalism with a subscription to the Citizen-Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Fletcher police respond in heavy numbers to apartment complex
