According to the Wilmington Police Department, at around 7 p.m. on Sunday, officers responded to the 500 block of Camway Drive, a residential area located a few blocks from the UNCW campus. WPD had been alerted to a possible armed hostage situation.
WPD said that, “upon arrival, officers confirmed that the suspect was inside the residence with two victims. Officers immediately established a perimeter around the home while working to safely resolve the situation. As officers maintained containment of the residence, the suspect exited the home with one of the hostages and entered a vehicle parked in the driveway. The suspect then fired his weapon inside of the SUV, resulting in a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
According to WPD, EMS were staged nearby, and immediately took the suspect to Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
“At the time of transport, the suspect was listed in life-threatening condition,” WPD said, although officials did not offer any updated information on his status.
WPD said both victims were safely recovered from the situation and are receiving “appropriate support.” Officials said the Criminal Investigation Division is handling the case; WPD called it an “isolated incident,” but said there is no additional information available. The investigation is still active, WPD said.
Asked about the delay between the Sunday incident and Tuesday press release, a WPD spokesperson noted that the community was “not in danger” from the isolated incident.
“When it comes to incidents like these, our primary focus in the immediate aftermath is ensuring the safety of any potential victims involved, as well as the community as a whole. However, it’s also important to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation and confirm that all information is 100% accurate before we release it to the public,” the spokesperson said. “Sometimes, gathering those verified details and coordinating with our investigators takes a bit of extra time, but we always want to ensure we're putting out the most precise facts possible.”
