DA declines charges against five officers involved in August Wilmington shooting
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Five law enforcement officers involved in an August shooting in downtown Wilmington will not face criminal charges, according to District Attorney Jason W. Smith.
Smith announced Thursday that his office reviewed the findings of an investigation conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and determined that no officers would be criminally charged.
The shooting happened Aug. 21, 2026, on Red Cross Street and involved two New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office deputies and three Wilmington Police Department officers who discharged their firearms at Rodney Wilson.
According to Wilmington police, officers and deputies responded around 7:26 p.m. to the 700 block of Red Cross Street after receiving a report of an armed man acting aggressively and pointing a firearm at another person.
Officers located a man matching the description near Seventh and Red Cross streets.
Police said the man fired shots at law enforcement, prompting multiple officers to return fire.
Wilson, 35, was taken to Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center with serious injuries. Police reported Aug. 25 that he was in stable condition.
Wilson was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, and police said at the time that additional charges were pending.
The officers involved were placed on paid administrative leave following the shooting, in accordance with department policy.
The SBI investigated the incident and submitted its findings to the district attorney’s office for review.
After examining the investigation, Smith determined that criminal charges against the officers were not warranted.
The district attorney’s office said Wilson still faces criminal charges related to the incident and declined to provide additional comments because the case remains pending.
The announcement did not provide further details about the evidence reviewed or the reasoning behind the decision.
