1 killed in Gastonia officer-involved shooting

GASTONIA, N.C. — One person is dead after an officer-involved shooting in Gastonia Thursday night, police said.

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According to a release from the Gastonia Police Department, officers responded to a call about a domestic call around 10:30 p.m. on Hickory Hollow Road, not far from New Hope Road and Hudson Boulevard.

1 killed in Gastonia officer-involved shooting

After about two hours of negotiations, police say the suspect, identified as Jeremy Jackson Bonham, 39, emerged from the back of the house and opened fire on the officers with a rifle.

Cellphone video showed an officer armed with a rifle aiming at Bonham’s home.

Another officer was nearby.

Matt Yandle lives across the street.

“They came to our door and asked us to go out the back door and seek shelter cause we were in the line of fire,” Yandle said.

Police utilized a drone and a robot unit during the standoff.

The chief said they tried to talk Bonham into giving up.

“A lot of times we can avoid situations like this, but this wasn’t the case,” said Capt. Trent Conard, Gastonia Police Department.

The chief said after several minutes of waiting, Bonham made a bold move.

“He came from a very dark corner of the back and fired upon officers and they returned fire,” Conard said.

Ten officers returned fire, killing Bonham. No officers were injured during the incident.

Many of them were standing in this area where we saw several evidence markers with what appears to be shell casings, scores of them.

“About a dozen shots, small and large caliber, went back and forth in seconds,” Yandle said. “It was hard to count.”

Police took cover behind his trailer, and one round fired toward officers went through it, he said.

Another shot hit a police car. Three went into the house of a woman who lives behind Bonham’s home. Another struck the wall over her bed as she slept.

“This isn’t supposed to happen here,” said neighbor Grace Roberts.

Neighbors who knew Bonham said they were stunned.

“I don’t know what brought all this on, because he has always been a nice guy,” said neighbor Brad Beam.

As per protocol, the 10 officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave while the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation conducts an investigation into the shooting.