Man in custody after shooting at officers, drawing SWAT response, CMPD says
A man who shot at Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers and barricaded himself inside an apartment is now in custody, authorities said.
It started at about 11:30 p.m. Thursday when officers were called to an apartment on Hunting Ridge Lane in southeast Charlotte for someone who was in crisis.
When they arrived, police said they started talking with the man, who then shot at officers several times. He also shot into a police car that did not have anyone inside, authorities said. The man was later identified as 33-year-old Joshua Gaither.
No officers were hurt in the incident, CMPD said.
Police said the officers took cover and called for more officers as well as the CMPD SWAT Team. They created a perimeter around the apartment to protect the community, police said.
There was no indication that anyone else was inside the apartment other than Gaither, police said.
CMPD said its SWAT Team worked with negotiators and other officers to successfully deescalate the situation. They said Gaither left the apartment on his own and was taken into custody. He was taken to the hospital as part of the standard procedure for the involuntary commitment order a magistrate had issued for him, police said.
After being released, Gaither was charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer.
No officers fired their weapons during the incident, CMPD said.
No other details have been released.
(WATCH BELOW: Kannapolis police searching for suspect involved in deadly shooting)
