Suspect Grabs Officer's Gun, Misses Point-Blank Shot
A Zebulon police officer narrowly escaped being shot Friday night after a man grabbed the officer's gun in a struggle and fired at him.
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Sgt. Tivon Howard, of the Zebulon Police Department, was serving a Wake County warrant on Steve Wilson at Mr. G’s Market, at 200 S. Wakefield St., police said.
When Wilson, 50, of 314 Barbee St. in Zebulon, resisted arrest, Howard tried to use a Taser on him, but the device didn't work because one of the darts that carry the electrical charge missed its mark, police said.
Howard then tried to pepper spray Wilson, and as they continued to struggle, Wilson pulled Howard’s gun from his holster, police said. He shot at Howard as Howard pushed him away, and the shot went into the ceiling, police said. The gun jammed when he tried to fire a second time.
Wilson fled the convenience store, and a Wendell police officer responding to assist in the arrest spotted his car on Morphis Bridge Road, police said. After a brief chase, Wilson jumped from his car and tried to flee on foot but was apprehended after a 20-minute manhunt by Zebulon, Wendell and Rolesville officers, Wake County deputies and state Highway Patrol troopers, police said.
Howard wasn't injured in the struggle.
Wilson was charged with attempted murder of a police officer, resisting arrest and damage to property. Other charges might be filed after an investigation of the incident is complete, police said.
Wilson was being held Saturday night in the Wake County Jail on a $1,010,000 bond.
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