Fayetteville standoff left a mess of residents' homes
FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina (WTVD) -- A standoff that ended with a deadly police-involved shooting a week ago in Fayetteville has left a mess of people's homes.
Police shot Patrick Gatson, 32, after he used the apartment building's attic to elude officers. On Friday, the people forced out during the more than eight-hour standoff last Thursday night returned home to places that looked ransacked.
They were heartbroken to find out that nothing inside could be saved.
That's because police deployed harmful tear gas and removed insulation in efforts to get Gatson to come out of the home. After the incident, Fayetteville Police banded with the Red Cross to help displaced residents find housing for those four families. One officer even gave out of pocket to help.
One week later, the apartments are still in ruins and residents are working to figure out how they can get their things back.
Lisa Webb just moved to Fayetteville in June. She was devastated when she heard that everything from her son's bike, her new television and furniture couldn't be saved.
"I come home and all my stuff was ruined. It looks like a bomb went off in there," Webb said.
PREVIOUS STORY: 3 OFFICERS INVOLVED IN FATAL STANDOFF SHOOTING
Meanwhile the Fayetteville Police Department said their agency is doing everything they can to work with displaced residents. So far all four families have completed the claim paperwork to necessary to start the process that would replace their damaged things.
"I understand that they can be frustrated with that but we are working with our counterparts to help get their lives back to normalcy," said Lt. Todd Joyce.
The residents have been relocated to permanent housing due to the conditions of their homes. But for current residents, there's still one problem.
"The kids in the neighborhood still live here. There's broken glass from the window and debris from the insolation and they were playing in it. My biggest issue is the safety aspect and the health and wellbeing of the community and people that are still living here," said one resident who did not want to be identified.
ORIGINAL STORY: FAYETTEVILLE STANDOFF SUSPECT SHOT BY POLICE DIES
According to the Police Department, the community cleanup is the responsibility of the landlord; Black Tie Realtors. ABC11 reached out to the company for a timeline on when the debris and apartments would be cleaned up and the company declined to comment.
