Investigation underway after overnight shooting on Market Street

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred in downtown Wilmington early Sunday morning.

Around 3:15 am Sunday, Wilmington Police officers heard gunshots in the 100 block of Market Street, coming from the nearby parking deck.

Inside the parking deck, a man was found suffering from a gunshot wound and was taken to the hospital.

Officers then detained several people who were sitting in a nearby vehicle after witnesses told them what they had seen.

An additional suspect was inside another car, and after refusing to get out, drove towards the officers, barely missing them and hitting another parked car.

Multiple officers fired shots at the car, hitting the driver, who was pronounced dead at the scene

Blayne Tart, who was eating pizza at a local restaurant around the corner, describes what he heard and saw.

“All you hear is two shots go off. Everyone is sitting there, we all look around, and then you hear flooded with shots, and then we all ran, it was crazy, real wild,” Tart said.

According to a WPD Facebook post, levels 3 and above of the parking deck were closed until late Sunday afternoon.

All officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave until the investigation by the SBI is complete.