Corporal Brian Reitz was one of the officers responding to a call on Omega Road early Sunday morning about a group of suspicious vehicles. Authorities said 32-year-old Todd Vickers was apparently one of the people who got out of one of the cars when officers showed up.
Reitz claims Vickers refused to put his hands where officers could see them. At that point, Reitz said he had no choice, but to pull his weapon and shoot Vickers in the leg.
Durham police did not reveal some of the details about the shooting until Tuesday, but Durham Police Chief Steve Chalmers said it is not unusual to withhold names during the initial phase of such an investigation.
"Nothing is going to be swept under the rug," Chalmers said. "Of course, there is an outside investigation that's conducted that will relieve the community from feeling that we're going to actually try to protect our own. That's the last thing we want to do."
Reitz is on administrative duty until the internal investigation wraps up. The State Bureau of Investigation is also investigating the incident. Reitz joined the Durham Police Department in 1995.
Vickers was moved from Durham Regional Hospital to Duke University Medical Center for treatment. Police have not said whether or not he could face any charges.
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