Suspect fired shots at police during car chase, then turned gun on himself, CMPD says

A car chase that saw one squad car hit by gunfire abruptly ended when the driver died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police.

It happened on Shamrock Road in northeast Charlotte, and the name of the suspect has not been released.

Investigators say it started with a domestic violence call at 8:41 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22. Police did not reveal the location of the call.

“Upon arrival, officers learned that the suspect forced a female into a car and fled the scene,” CMPD said in a news release.

“Officers were able to locate the vehicle and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The suspect failed to stop, and a vehicle pursuit began. .. During the pursuit the suspect fired shots at officers. One of the vehicles was struck by gunfire.”

No officers were struck by bullets, and they did not return fire “at any point,” officials said.

“After the vehicle came to a stop at the 3200 block of Shamrock Drive, officers discovered the suspect was suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” CMPD said.

“The suspect was pronounced deceased on scene by Medic.”

An investigation into the initial domestic violence call determined the suspect and the female knew each other, officials said.

Details about the female’s condition were not released.

This story was originally published December 23, 2021 at 6:47 AM.