The report, from Chief Jane Perlov to City Manager J. Russell Allen, outlines the shooting involving Officer Michelle Peele while she was working off duty security at a restaurant near downtown Raleigh.
According to the report, the shooting happened after a man, identified as Nyles Arrington, got inside Peele's personal vehicle. The report said, "Officer Peele challenged the man to get out of her car. Officer Peele approached the driver's side of the vehicle. The suspect placed the vehicle in gear and began to move forward. Officer Peele fired one shot striking the man under the left arm. The bullet traveled downward and did not exit the body. "
The report did not say if Peele was in front of the car, or in danger of being run over by the man who was in the car when she fired a shot.
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Peele had gotten out of her car and left her keys inside because she was distracted by a disturbance in the restaurant, La Rosa Linda Authentic Mexican Restaurant, the report said. Peele was accompanied that night by a friend, Lindsay Banning, a Raleigh animal control officer.
After the incident inside the restaurant, Peele, Banning and another security guard were in the foyer area of the restaurant at about 1 a.m.. The glass exterior door to the restaurant was closed. The three saw a man getting into Peele's personal vehicle. Peele and Banning immediately ran from the building. Peele ordered the man to get out of her car.
After being shot, Arrington drove the vehicle out of the parking lot, traveling across New Bern Avenue, the report said. He then crossed through the median, entered the parking lot of the Caroco convenience store and struck a parked vehicle belonging to an employee of the store, according to the report.
Arrington then placed the vehicle in reverse, backed up, shifted to a forward gear, and drove back across the eastbound lanes of New Bern Avenue. The vehicle came to rest in the median of New Bern Avenue.
After firing her weapon, Peele began to run after the vehicle and radioed the Emergency Communications Center. She relayed the location of the vehicle and the fact that she shot the suspect, the report said. Peele indicated to the ECC that she did not believe that the suspect had a gun.
Police did not find a gun when they searched Arrington, but the report did say he had a crack pipe in his possession when his clothing was searched.
The State Bureau of Investigation is currently reviewing the case and will issue a report to District Attorney Colon Willoughby to determine if any criminal laws were violated by Peele.
The Internal Affairs Unit of the police department is conducting an administrative investigation into the shooting. At the conclusion of that investigation supervisory staff of the department will determine whether there were any violations of department policy.
Peele became a sworn member of the department on June 4, 1999. She is assigned to the Downtown District and works in Field Operations. As required by department policy, she is currently assigned to administrative duties.
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