911 calls shed new insight into Clinton PD shootout
CLINTON, N.C. (WTVD) -- Newly released 911 audio reveals a frantic scene at a shooting in a Burger King parking lot Sunday morning in Clinton. Some of the bullets hit a nearby home.
Clinton Police Chief Jay Tilley would not say whether the shooting was a "suicide by cop," but he did say the 911 call and police radio traffic give a vivid clue as to how this all transpired.
A sample of the police audio 911 call:
"There is a gentleman at the Burger King ... and he just pulled up beside our car and told us to call 911."
Police dispatcher: "Proceed to the Burger King on Southeast Boulevard."
Officer on scene: "Backup! Backup, backup, he's got a gun. Backup! He's inside the vehicle ... with the driver door open with weapon in hand."
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Officers said during negotiations, the gunman told police he had five rounds and was not coming out of the vehicle.
Police tried to get him to put down his weapon. Instead, police said, he pointed the shotgun at officers, who returned fire.
The State Bureau of Investigation identified the man shot as 53-year-old John Mark Coffey of Warsaw.
Of the eight law enforcement officers put on administrative leave, seven are with the Clinton Police Department: Lt. R. K. Dalton, Sgt. A.D. Clowney, Detective S.M. Crespo, Corp. J.A. Kittrell, Corp. J. A. Snell, Officer A. W. McDuffie, and Officer B. N. Hall. North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper M. High was also put on leave.
The Department's Internal Affair Unit will conduct an administrative investigation and The State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the details of the shooting.
Tilley hasn't said how many rounds his officers fired, but did say said his officers' body cameras were recording the entire incident. Footage from in-car video and from body cameras are being turned over to the SBI as part of the investigation.
None of the officers was hurt.
WATCH: Cell phone video was sent in by an Eyewitness
