Gaston County Police Involved in Deadly Shooting | UPDATE: 911 Call Released

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GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — A Gastonia man has died after being shot by officers in Gaston County.

Authorities say, at 5:08 p.m., officers received a call from the National Veterans Hotline concerning a suicidal individual on Wedowee Lane. 

When officers arrived on the scene they say 52-year-old William Poole was in his yard sitting on a lawnmower. The officers then say Poole pulled a .357 handgun and fired several shots at the officers. The officers returned fire, fatally wounding Poole. 

“The officers approached Mr. Poole and identified themselves as police officers.  Mr. Poole pulled a firearm and discharged multiple times.  The officers returned fire, fatally wounding Mr. Poole,” said Gaston County Police Chief James Buie.

Some witnesses say they aren’t sure who shot first, Poole or police.

“It was, ‘Let me see your gun’, and he lifted his shirt up, and there was six shots fired,” said neighbor Brandi Hardy.  “It was a matter of blinking your eyes twice and six shots was fired.  And by the time they went around my trailer, and all of them already had their guns drawn, and by the time they went around the front, it was ‘Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow!’ Just as quick as that.”

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is handling the case.

The four officers involved in the shooting were not injured. The officers have been placed on administrative leave with pay pending the completion of the investigation.