Huntersville Officers Won’t Face Charges In Deadly January Officer Involved Shooting
The Latest:
The Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday they will not seek charges against Sgt. John Allen or Officer Travis Watts in the January 13th shooting death of Joseph Hilton, V.
The DA says evidence and witness statements in the case could not prove to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that Sgt. Allen and Officer Watts did not act in self-defense.
The full report released by the DA’s Office Monday gives a detailed account of all parties who were witness to the fatal shooting before, during, and after. You can read that entire report here: DA REPORT: Joseph Hilton, V Officer Involved Shooting
Officials say that both Sgt. Allen and Officer Watts were aware of Hilton’s potentially “suicidal state of mind” and that he had guns in the bedroom before they entered. The report also says that three of the closest officer accounts consistently say that Hilton sat up in the bed quickly and pointed a pistol in one of the officers’ direction.
That pistol was found on the floor beside Hilton’s bed, according to the report, where his right hand came to rest.
January 15, 2018
Police say 42-year-old Joseph Hilton was shot and killed by officers following a domestic complaint at a home in Huntersville Saturday evening.
Police say officers were dispatched to a home on Gilead Hill Court after a woman called 911 and reported that she was being assaulted by Hilton.
Officers say the woman appeared to have injuries to her face and told officers that Hilton was in the home and armed. Officers made entry and encountered Hilton upstairs lying on a bed, according to a news release.
Officers say they gave commands to Hilton prior to him being shot by Officer John Allen and Officer Travis Watts.
According to records at the Mecklenburg County Jail, Hilton was arrested back in May on charges of Resisting a Public Officer and Felony Possession of Cocaine.
The SBI is investigating the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to call the SBI at 980-781-3004.
Original Story:
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A man was killed in an officer-involved shooting in Huntersville Saturday night.
The Huntersville Fire Department says crews responded to reports of a shooting in the 9300 block of Gilead Hill Court at 9:05 p.m. Saturday night.
The identities of the officer(s) and deceased have not been released at this time.
