Police: Man charged at off-duty Durham officer after shooting roommate

On Friday, May 1 after 5 p.m., officer C.T. Strickland with the Durham Police Department was off-duty and at home at his apartment on Emerald Forest Drive when he heard gunshots within the apartment complex.

Strickland went to investigate and located 29-year-old Daniel Pressley lying on the ground on a second-story breezeway with a gunshot wound and another man, 27-year-old Wesley Watkins, standing over him. Watkins briefly went inside an apartment home, and when he came back outside, Strickland saw a third man.

Since Strickland had recently returned from work, he was still in his uniform, but he wasn't wearing a body camera.

According to police, Strickland removed his department-issued gun and ordered the two men to lie face down on the ground. At first, the men complied, but then Watkins stood up and "began to charge" at Strickland, according to police.

Strickland fired his weapon twice, striking Watkins in the stomach at least once. Watkins fell to the ground and Strickland called for EMS.

Pressley, the man lying on the ground, was pronounced dead at the scene. Watkins was transported to Duke Hospital and remained there on Thursday.

Investigators say that both Pressley and Watkins lived in the apartment, and the two were heard arguing over money before shots were fired.

According to police, days after the shooting, Watkins confessed to shooting Pressley and said he charged at Strickland because he wanted the officer to kill him.

Watkins was charged with murder, and Pressley's death remains under investigation.

The shooting will be investigated and Strickland will be assigned to administrative duties pending the outcome, which is standard protocol.