Suspect in Fayetteville gas station robbery, police standoff dies

Police closed Cliffdale Road between Rim and Hook Loop roads about 2:30 a.m. after responding to a robbery call at a Shell gas station at 8385 Cliffdale Road.

The clerk escaped the gas station unharmed, but the robber barricaded himself inside, and a four-hour standoff ensued.

Police parked an armored truck outside the gas station so crisis negotiators could talk to the man, but investigators said he never responded to their efforts.

The standoff ended when police and the suspected robber exchanged gunfire at about 6:45 a.m. Police said the man fired a shot from inside the gas station and then came outside with a rifle, refusing officers' demands to drop the weapon.

"The suspect actually fired one shot out the store. We don't know at who but just know that it did penetrate the store's glass," police Lt. Chris Davis said. "A few minutes after that, he came and was shot by one of the police officers."

The man, identified as Montrez Javon Virgil, 25, of 2532 Mesa Drive in Fayetteville, died a few hours later at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center.

It's unclear how many times Virgil was shot.

No officers were wounded.

The State Bureau of Investigation was reviewing the shooting. The officer involved hasn't been identified, but police said he has been placed on administrative duty while the SBI investigates, which is standard procedure.

Cliffdale Road was reopened at about 10:30 a.m.

Police said there was no indication that the incident was linked to a Monday night robbery of a Grove Street convenience store. Two store employees were wounded in that robbery.