GASTON COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Officers acted reasonably when they opened fire in a market and killed a robbery suspect last year, the Gaston County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday.
Last November 18, officers were attempting to locate a robbery suspect in Cleveland County. Chucky Bowden, 54, who had recently been released from serving a sentence that began in 1991 for robbery, was identified as the suspect and was located a short time later in a vehicle.
Bowden tried to flee, crashed, and a foot pursuit ensued, according to documents.
Bowden was seen by officers a short time later in Cherryville holding a handgun and was told to drop the weapon and ignored these commands, authorities said. He entered the passenger side of a nearby pickup truck that was parked at a home and raised his weapon towards the officers when one of the officers, identified as Derek Thom, fired a single shot, the DA’s report states.
It was unclear at the time if Bowden had been struck, however, he was able to exit the vehicle and flee into a wooded area.
The suspect was found later in the day around 4:30 p.m. at Creekside Community Market in Bessemer City and officers attempted to make contact. He was seated and had a gun pressed to a man’s back, the report said. “I’m not afraid to die, you will have to kill me,” Bowden had responded to the officers.
As more officers arrived, repeated orders were given to drop the weapon and to release the man he was holding a gun to. He refused, and officers fired multiple shots.
Bowden was pronounced dead at the scene.
It is still unclear why there is no police bodycam video, however, there is a video from a man nearby who was recording on his phone, according to the DA’s report.
The final report states the officers’ actions were clearly justified.