SBI identifies man killed in downtown Wilmington officer-involved shooting

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has identified the man who died following an officer-involved shooting in downtown Wilmington early Sunday morning.

According to the SBI, the man has been identified as Edilberto Espinoza Sierra. Authorities say his immediate family has been notified.

The SBI is investigating the shooting after being requested to do so by the Wilmington Police Department and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office.

The shooting happened around 3:15 a.m. Sunday in the 100 block of Market Street.

According to Wilmington police, task force officers working with New Hanover County sheriff’s deputies heard gunfire in the area and responded to a nearby parking deck, where they found a man who had been shot. The man was taken by EMS to Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center with serious injuries.

Witnesses at the scene pointed officers toward a possible suspect. Police say officers approached a nearby vehicle and asked several men to step out before detaining them without incident.

Authorities also located a second vehicle matching the suspect description. When officers attempted to make contact with the driver, police say the man refused to comply and continued moving the vehicle forward.

Investigators say the driver then accelerated, striking another vehicle and narrowly missing several officers.

Police say multiple officers fired their weapons in response to what they described as an imminent threat to officers and nearby civilians.

The suspect was struck by gunfire and, despite life-saving efforts, later died from his injuries.

In accordance with department policy, the officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.