CMPD Releases Videos Of Shooting Of Armed Man At Convenience Store
THE LATEST:
(Warning: Graphic Content)
CMPD releases footage of the shooting death of Sylasone Ackhavong, who was shot and killed by a CMPD officer at a 7-Eleven in Charlotte in 2016.
Police say Ackhavong was armed with a gun, wearing a bullet proof vest and refused numerous commands to drop the weapon.
ORIGINAL STORY:
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The District Attorney’s Office says a CMPD officer was justified in the shooting of an armed man at a convenience store in Charlotte.
Officials say Officer O.M. Lester acted lawfully and no charges will be filed against him. Lester shot and killed Sylasone Ackhavong on April 19th at a 7-Eleven.
Police say Ackhavong was armed with a gun, wearing a bullet proof vest and refused numerous commands to drop the weapon.
Investigators say Ackhavong appeared to be suffering from some type of escalating psychotic break in the days leading up to the shooting.
Ackhavong reportedly told his coworker a few days before the shooting that he had concerns with the government and thought people were listening to his phone calls and interfering with his email. He also reportedly told several people he had seen ghosts while at work.
Police say they were called to the 7-Eleven after Ackhavong tried to take a vehicle from a customer and the store clerk because “his life was in danger”.
Once police arrived, Ackhavong exited his vehicle with a firearm in his right hand and wearing a bullet proof vest, according a report from the DA’s office.
The SWAT team was called out after attempts to get Ackhavong to drop his weapon were unsuccessful. Lester was called in as part of the SWAT team and set up with a sniper rifle.
Lester gave the following statement to investigators about the moments leading up to his decision to shoot:
“I could tell he is very serious. He’s not gonna give up and he’s,
this is based on all my experience … the negotiations are starting
to, um, they’re not helping, they’re not gonna talk this guy down.
The entire time I’m, you know, I’m watching him
and out of my peripheral in the scope, I could see officers. I can see some guys in
blue that are out in the open and they’re not under cover. When
a definitive action comes, he was on the phone and when he got off
the phone and he looks and he stops and kinda presents his face
forward, and I immediately saw a demeanor change in his face
where he went from serious to, I see you. When I saw that, his
right shoulder began to slump forward and his hand came off his
ass. So the entire time that he’s telling ‘em I’m not gonna put this
gun down, you’re gonna have to kill me, he’s keeping his right
hand behind his back, arm just almost glued to that right butt
cheek. And when his face express, facial expression changes and
he sees who he sees, that I believe he’s picking up a target. His
hand comes out and at that moment I knew that was the only inch I
could give him and I had, I had to do what I had to do.”
