An unarmed abduction suspect was fatally shot by police as he attempted to leave from them in his car, apparently running over one of the lawmen in the process, according to terrifying video footage.
A neighbour’s doorbell camera caught the shooting on video on Wednesday in Gastonia, a small city in North Carolina just outside of Charlotte.
Following a call reporting the alleged kidnapping, the video shows Gastonia resident Jason Lipscomb being rushed by police outside the home of his stepfather on Edgemont Avenue.
Lipscomb, a 21-year-old father of one who appeared to be familiar with the children he was accused of kidnapping, would eventually be shot more than a dozen times by the police.
In the video, which the police released on Thursday in response to the anger over his passing, Lipscomb is seen running toward his parked four-door vehicle.
Jumps into the car and tries to drive away, but is soon surrounded by the officers, who try to prevent his escape, according to the video, which makes it impossible to discern times due to the camera’s distance from the street.
Screams of “Stop the car!” are heard as police swarm the car. Step outside the automobile! When Lipscomb abruptly reverses, it appears that he hits two of the officers; one of them, according to the police, was ran over.
As Lipscomb pulls away, the cop, who is visible toward the front of the car in the video and who apparently sustained leg injuries as a result of the incident, tries to open the driver’s side door but is knocked to the ground.
Another passenger, who is in the back of the car, falls as it lurches back but manages to stay upright and, according to reports, escapes unharmed.
At that point, Lipscomb reportedly accelerates and runs over the deceased cop.
The young father was killed as police opened fire on the vehicle in a barrage. There had been over a dozen rounds fired.
Police issued an immediate warning to residents of the normally peaceful neighbourhood to stay away from the crime site after an officer-involved shooting.
According to police, the lawman who was apparently injured required hospitalisation after sustaining serious leg injuries.
The department stated on Wednesday that he is anticipated to recover.
Cops hurried to the house after getting a call from the daycare stating the kids had been picked up by an unauthorised person just before the shooting happened and discovered the two youngsters Lipscomb is accused of having kidnapped there unhurt.
The house is owned by Lipscombs’ stepfather and is located on a street dotted with trees in a suburban neighbourhood.
After thereafter, according to reports, Lipscomb was encountered by police outside the house, and chaos broke out.
Family and acquaintances claimed that Lipscombs was acquainted with the two kids and that they were the younger siblings of the mother of his unidentified little child.
According to Robert Hamlett, his stepfather, the kids were picked up from Precious Moments childcare in Gaston and transported to his house on North Edgemont Avenue.
Hamlett, who saw the shooting and sobbed while speaking to the TV station, said: “Whether he had the right to have them here, I don’t know nothing about that.” It was my son, I said. I opened the door for him.
Police then responded to the daycare’s complaint and located the father.
Police stated Wednesday that the caller claimed Lipscombs had abducted the two children without their consent.
According to authorities, the caller knew Lipscombs and gave his name to them.
Thelma Mackins, the mother of Lipscomb, has also disputed the police’s version of what happened that day, claiming that her son fled in fear for his life, that he didn’t strike the officer but rather fell over on his own, and that the police were now attempting to save face.
He was attempting to flee from the police and run, Mackins acknowledged.
He was terrified, and because he arrived at the car before they did, they failed in their attempt to take it.
Hamlett continued, “The officer fell and got up because he was ashamed, and maybe four or five of them started fire on my child.”
He was not kidnapping any kids, according to the parents.
They claim that Lipscomb called the girl’s mother and then proceeded to the daycare to pick up his daughter.
He brought the children here to a shared location so he could pick up his daughter. Nothing took place.
Give him your daughter, and they wouldn’t have done it.
She said that by calling the police on Limpscombs, the mother of the kids caused the problem.
“The mother reported him as a kidnapper and called the police and everything else.” Mackins stated that the family is currently considering suing the agency.
Just before the family held a vigil for her son on Thursday, she told WBTV, “I want the world to know my son Jason Lipscomb was killed by the cops.”
“They didn’t have to kill him; if they wanted to, they could have Tasered him and stopped him.”
The kids were retrieved from the house safe just before Lipscombs was killed. At the time, Lipscomb’s stepfather was living there.
Cops then searched the area and discovered Limpscobs outdoors.
The authorities pronounced him dead there.
The depth of their relationship is unknown, but according to a police update following the shooting on Wednesday, all parties engaged in the incident—the Lipscombs, the children, and his daughter—knew one another.
Police stated they are seeking for no further suspects in connection with the incident and are still looking into the matter.
Meanwhile, Lipscombs had a criminal record, having been charged with felony larceny and breaking and entering.
According to records from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, February 2019.
According to the authorities, he was imprisoned for one year and three months.
As is customary in officer-involved shootings, the officers who were shot have been placed on administrative leave.
State investigators are also looking into the incident.