41-year-old man dead in Sanford officer-involved shooting

SANFORD, N.C. (WTVD) -- A 41-year-old man is dead after an officer-involved shooting in Sanford Tuesday night.

Officers responded to the 400 block of Goldsboro Avenue around 10:21 p.m. for a report of a disturbance.

According to the department, when officers arrived, they encountered 41-year-old Juan Carlos Romero who was armed with a handgun.

Police say Romero then fired at the three responding officers.

The officers fired back, shooting and killing Romero.

Romero's family told ABC 11 on Wednesday that Romero had a gun but never showed it or pointed it at officers.

According to Romero's stepson, the family had a restraining order against Romero. Tuesday night, the mom and stepson were at the home, along with four other girls.

Romero showed up, drunk with a gun and started banging on the door, his stepson said.

"He sees me, he grabs the gun and he tries to point it at me and my sister gets in front of him. And said, "you gonna shoot me?" said Romero's stepson.

As he was trying to get into the home, the stepson and mother stopped him. He then busted a window and fired three shots into the home.

One of those bullets hit a 19-year-old woman.

The woman was transported to Central Carolina Hospital and then transferred to UNC Chapel Hill Hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound. She is listed in stable condition.

As part of standard procedure, North Carolina's State Bureau of Investigation has been called in to investigate.

The officers involved will be placed on administrative leave with the investigation is ongoing.