GRAHAM, N.C. — The State Bureau of Investigations is now investigating an officer-involved shooting that left a man dead late Tuesday night.
Graham police Lt. Sisk says officers were serving a warrant in the 700 block of East Elm Street just before midnight because of an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip they received. They were trying to track down a wanted suspect named Jaquyn Light.
Police say Light had warrants out for his arrest for communicating threats and simple assault.
While on scene, police say they went inside to arrest Light, and that's when he ran outside.
"Mr. Light ran from the officers, and exited the house into the front yard," Chief Jeffrey Prichard said. "When he exited the house an officer from the Graham Police Department was outside and confronted him."
We don't know exactly what happened during that confrontation, but an officer shot Light. Police said whether Light was carrying a weapon at the time, is part of the investigation.
"Mr. light later died as a result of the gunshot wound," Chief Prichard said. "We extend our condolences, this is never a situation anyone wants to be placed in."
The officer who shot Light has been identified as Officer Marcus Pollock.
He was placed on administrative leave, as is protocol.
"It is not a small matter to be responsible for taking a life," Chief Prichard said. "The officer will be cooperating with the investigation, but we will also be utilizing resources to meet the officers emotional and mental health during this time."
The SBI is handling the shooting investigation, which is also protocol for officer-involved shootings.
"As a continued effort to maintain transparency to our community, I will encourage and extend an invitation to meet with the immediate family of the deceased," the Chief stated.
Light had several Breaking and Entering charges on his criminal record.
"I’m not trying to make him out to be an angel, because you can't do that with people," Light's uncle, Mosi Williams said. "But what I can say is, I know he is not one of those people that you would have had to use an act of violence against him."
Williams says he's never known his nephew to carry a gun.
"He's not that type of dude, not at all," Williams stated.
He wants to know why a gun was used instead of a taser on his nephew.
"It makes no sense, because he had a warrant – so what!" he exclaimed "There’s millions of people with warrants but do you go around killing them all? Or shooting them all? No you don’t."
Other family members WFMY News 2 spoke with said they are taking the necessary steps and letting the process run its course with Graham Police.
We knocked on the door of the home where this shooting happened. The owner says Light did not live there, but hung out with his stepson every so often.
Police say this is the first deadly officer-involved shooting in Graham in 20 years.
Police say there is body cam footage, and will release it when they can. The department cannot immediately release the footage because the SBI is in control of the investigation.
