Apex police: Rifle found at deadly shooting outside Academy Sports was stolen

On Thursday, Apex police revealed more details about a fatal shooting outside Academy Sports + Outdoors at Nichols Plaza, including that the rifle found in the parking lot had been stolen.

Apex Police Chief Jason Armstrong said Denzel Ward, the SBI agent involved in the shooting, was at the store to shop and not part of an investigation or surveillance effort when a man and woman ran out of the building on Pine Plaza Drive on Tuesday. Ward encountered them inside their vehicle and then that led to them leaving the car.

One of the shoplifters, Dayve Sanchez, was killed in the shooting. The female with Sanchez has not been identified. Armstrong told reporters she was still in the care of medical professionals and investigators have yet to speak with her.

The rifle found at the scene was on the ground when police arrived. Armstrong said the rifle was stolen from somewhere in Siler City and was an "AR-15 type" rifle. It's not clear who had possession of the rifle.

Armstrong said the woman was not found with a weapon, but took another gun inside the store. She did not brandish it when confronted.

Police are still investigating how the interaction escalated into a shooting. Armstrong did not specify when asked if the two threatened Ward during the encounter.

An autopsy has not been completed. Sanchez was 18 years old.

Ward was placed on administrative duty.

On Tuesday, Armstrong explained the female allegedly grabbed a box of ammunition that was sitting on the counter display and ran out of the store. "And, the male that was with her, ran out of the store with her," Armstrong said.