Wake deputy who shot suicidal man back on active duty

First Class Deputy Tavares Thompson shot Adam Wade Carter twice in the chest shortly after responding to a 911 call from Carter's home off Leesville Road, stating that he was trying to kill himself, according to authorities and Carter's family. 

Tavares, who was on administrative duty for a little more than two weeks, returned to active duty Feb. 27. 

Carter's family said in February that deadly force was not needed when Thompson responded to Carter's home. 

"Twice in the chest is not how you handle a situation with someone who's looking for help," Thomas Boykin, a friend of Carter's, said.

Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison said after the shooting that Carter confronted Thompson with a knife, so the deputy had to use deadly force.

Boykin, who called 911 along with Carter's aunt, said Carter was drunk and stumbled toward the deputy but never raised the knife. He said his friend was so disturbed that he even told the deputy to shoot him.

"He didn't have any threatening mannerisms. He had (the knife) down by his waist. He was drunk," Boykin said. "There were no negotiations. (The deputy) told him to drop it, and that's all he said. He said, 'Drop it or I'll shoot,' and within 2 minutes of him walking through the door, it was all over with."