An off-duty Gaston County police officer working as a security guard at Gaston Memorial Hospital fatally shot a man late Sunday after the suspect pointed a gun at another person in the hospital waiting room, Gaston County police say.
Authorities say Keyjuantas Devance Tims, 29, of Gastonia, was shot and wounded about 11 p.m. by Officer W.E. Howell, who was working private security when he received word that a man had a gun in the waiting room.
Tims died later.
Howell said that as he walked into the waiting room, he warned Tims several times to put his hands on a nearby counter, police say. He said as he approached Tims, the suspect allegedly drew a gun and aimed it at another person, police say.
Howell then pulled his service gun and shot Tims, police say.
Tims was treated at Gaston Memorial and then transferred to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, where he died overnight.
A check of court records for Tims shows a lengthy list of arrests and includes convictions on charges of marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession, carrying a concealed weapon, speeding and resisting public officer charges.
Howell has been placed on paid administrative leave, and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation is joining Gaston County police in investigating the incident. That is customary in cases involving police shootings.
Laura Hargett of McAdenville witnessed the shooting.
She had brought her husband to the hospital for kidney stone treatment about 10 p.m. Sunday and was watching television in the waiting room when she saw two men coming through the front entrance.
About that time, she said, Howell walked into the waiting room through another door and warned Tims several times to "put his hands on the counter."
She said Tims started backing up, and then moved toward the officer.
"I saw a flash," said Hargett, 61. "And then the gun went off again." She said Howell kicked something across the floor that she later learned was a gun.
"In my eyes, the officer did what he should have done," she said. Hargett said she tried to keep calm. "I didn't want to shock somebody and (have) them turn on me."
1 comment:
Well here is my view...I am the mother of Keyjuantas' first born son and no one really knew Keyjuantas. He was a good person with a big heart. And now because an officer chose to shoot and injure instead of shoot and kill my son along with his brothers and sisters have no father! So, screw anyone who has something negative about my son's dad! So, what he had a criminal record...who doesn't these days. He didn't deserve to have his life taken by an officer who was trained to injure not kill!
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