Neighbors: Man who opened fire, barricaded himself in home on July 4 was 'nice, normal guy'

Police said Patrick Pavletic was taken into custody after a 12-hour standoff in which shots were fired in a Fayetteville neighborhood.

Pavletic's neighbors said he shot into several homes.

Pavletic's next door neighbor said Pavletic barricaded himself in his home and didn't come out, and police were staked outside his home for several days before the July 4 events. That evening, police went home-to-home advising neighbors they would begin an operation and asking neighbors to take precautions.

Neighbors told WRAL News Pavletic, 61, was a "nice, normal guy" who did handyman work for several people in the neighborhood and worked on projects in his yard. They said there weren't any incidents until July 4, when he started shooting into people's homes.

Neighbors in the area of Reilly Road around the Loch Lomond neighborhood watched as a large police presence, SBI agents and Crisis Negotiation Team attempted to serve commitment papers to the barricaded man.

Members of the Emergency Response Team were also on the scene to ensure the safety and security of officers and neighbors.

Police say the incident started around 8:36 p.m. on July 4, when they began negotiating with Pavletic in the 300 block of Desmond Drive. For hours, the Crisis Negotiation Team tried to encourage Pavletic to exit the home peacefully.

However, officers said he fired shots at them over the course of the next 12 hours in a standoff that lasted overnight and into the next morning. His shots struck two armored vehicles. No officers or SBI agents were injured. The SBI agent who returned fire and shot Pavletic has been put on administrative duty.

Neighbors told WRAL News the incident had lasted multiple days, but police only released information about it beginning on July 15.

Neighbors said Pavletic had a history of mental health issues.

After continued coordinated efforts between Fayetteville Police Department, State Bureau of Investigation, and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the man finally left the home on Sunday.

The SBI’s Special Investigations Unit is now investigating the case.

On Sunday night, A neighbor showed WRAL News video of officer's apparently blowing a hole in the home.

Photos of the home showed severe damage to the exterior wall of the house. In places, it has been completely destroyed, allowing for a full view of the inside of the home. Furniture and insulation are seen pouring out of the broken walls. while siding dangles by a thread.

Bullet holes are apparent in windows of the home, as well as windshields of the armored police vehicles. According to neighbors, many of the neighborhood residents have military backgrounds.

Pavletic was injured over the course of the standoff, the severity of his injuries was unclear.