One dead, officer hurt after Gaston County police car crashes en route to shooting scene
.png "One person died after a crash involving a Gaston County Police Department officer near the intersection of W Franklin and S Webb streets in Gastonia")
A crash involving a Gaston County Police Department car killed one person and hospitalized an officer late Saturday.
The person who died — a civilian whose name hasn’t been released — was a “citizen of Gaston County,” a news release said. The person was in a vehicle near the intersection of West Franklin Boulevard and South Webb Street in Gastonia before being involved in the crash with a police officer who was responding to a shooting.
Authorities didn’t release the name of the Gaston County police officer. The officer was using blue lights and sirens when the crash occurred, a Gaston County news release said.
“We are heartbroken for the family,” said Gaston County Police Chief Stephen Zill. “Our thoughts are with all those affected by this incident. We ask for the community to keep the family and our officer in their thoughts as we work though the investigation.”
The Gastonia Police Department, a separate law enforcement agency, is investigating the crash. The Gaston County department says it will conduct an internal review of the incident.
A Gaston County news release said the shooting call came in shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday. One person was shot, with injuries that were not life-threatening, in the 100 block of Davis Road outside of Bessemer City.
The shooting started with an argument between family members. People involved are cooperating with investigators, a news release said.
No further information was released.
This story was originally published February 25, 2024 at 12:00 AM.
