Hope Mills police kill man during domestic dispute

The officers were responding to a reported assault at a PNC Bank branch at 2945 Hope Mills Road shortly after 10 a.m. and arrived to find Darrell Haymon, 53, stabbing his wife, Lorrie Haymon, in the parking lot, police said.

"When our officers got here, the assault was still in progress, with the male subject actively stabbing the female," Police Chief Joel Acciardo said.

Lorrie Haymon had suffered stab wounds, including some to her chest, Acciardo said, and her husband pulled her closer as officers approached.

Officers Kristen Thompson and Brad Dean ordered Darrell Haymon to drop his knife, but he instead raised it as if he was preparing to stab his wife again, Acciardo said. The two officers then shot him.

Thompson and Dean immediately performed life support on Darrell Haymon, but he died at the scene, the chief said.

Lorrie Haymon, 51, was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center for treatment of what police described as non-life-threatening injuries.

Corday Leggett went to the PNC Bank to make a deposit and found a crime scene instead.

"I didn’t know what was going on, to be honest, and when I heard someone got stabbed, I was like, man, that’s crazy. It’s unreal," Leggett said.

Investigators haven't said if they've determined what prompted the attack. They spent much of the day collecting evidence from the bank parking lot, including from a pickup there with New Jersey plates.

Brian Haymon told WRAL News that his brother and sister-in-law moved to the Fayetteville area from New Jersey three weeks ago and were staying with relatives while they searched for a house. The couple has three grown children in New Jersey.

Brian Haymon said he doesn't understand why police killed his brother.

"There are other ways to subdue people than by using deadly force," he said, adding, "They have a tough job, and I understand that have to make split-second decisions."

Thompson and Dean were placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of a State Bureau of Investigation review, which is standard procedure in officer-involved shooting.

Dean has been with the Hope Mills Police Department since 2010, while Thompson has been with the department since 2012.