Ring camera video captures moments CMPD SWAT drags shooting suspect out of apartment after hours-long standoff

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ring cam video captures the final tense moments CMPD’s SWAT team swarmed a southwest Charlotte apartment Wednesday afternoon, and dragged out the man accused of shooting an officer; the ending to a multi-hour standoff. After the suspect tells officers he can’t walk down the stairs, one picks him up and carries him.

28-year-old Dionte McCracking is accused of shooting and injuring a CMPD officer early Wednesday morning. He is charged with attempted murder of an officer and possession of a firearm by a felon. In a news conference the same day, CMPD Chief Estella Patterson said, “Violence against our officers will not be tolerated.”

The officer, who CMPD is not yet naming, is expected to make a full recovery. Patterson thanked an unidentified Good Samaritan who helped the officer. She says, “When he saw the officer go down, he went to his aid. He stayed by the officer the entire time until other officers arrived, until our detectives were there. He cooperated with the investigation, which we are so grateful for.”

It started in the 1200 block of Enderly Drive in west Charlotte. Someone called police about a suspicious car around 12:30 Wednesday morning. The caller said there were two people inside the car, involved in suspected criminal activity. When the officer arrived and approached the two, police say McCracking pulled out a gun, shot the officer, and took off. A neighbor witnessed the police response, telling WCCB, “It looked like the whole force was out here at that very moment.”

Patterson says, “Our injured officer did not discharge their service weapon at any time during this incident.”

Investigators tracked the accused shooter to an apartment complex in southwest Charlotte. One mom tells us she waited for hours to get her kids from a nearby school, saying, “If he shot a police officer, he wouldn’t care about, you know, regular civilians being around either. You know what I’m saying?”

A woman who lives in the aparmtents says, “CMPD did a really good job.” She say the department was patient, and she wishes they’d have busted down the door sooner. She says, “They kept telling him, ‘we got your family down here. They wanna see you again. Come down, see your family.’ I heard that they let him talk to his family before they took him off.”

We’ve learned McCracking had an outstanding warrant for burglary charges. He also has an extensive criminal history including arson, burglary, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a stolen firearm, drug charges and more.

Police say the second person in the car with him has been identified and questioned. We’ll update you when new information comes into the newsroom.