Local News

911 call: Ex-Marine was 'going crazy' before shooting

James Cummings, 31, was shot early Sunday morning at a residence on Dunalk Way after Cary police officers responded to a distress call from his fiancée.
Posted 2008-09-29T20:51:34+00:00 - Updated 2008-10-08T16:01:30+00:00
James Cummings

A Cary man whom a police officer shot had been drinking and threatening to kill himself when his fiancée called for help, according to a 911 call released Monday.

James Cummings, 31, was shot early Sunday morning at a residence on Dundalk Way after officers responded to the distress call.

According to Cummings' family, Cummings was shot in the abdomen and is on life support. He was listed in critical condition Monday afternoon.

"My fiancé is going crazy. I think he's going to try to kill himself," the unidentified female caller tells the 911 dispatcher in the four-minute recording. "He's screaming that he hates himself and wants to die, and he's hitting himself in the head."

The caller goes on to tell the operator that her roommate and one of his friends were trying to hold him down to keep him from hurting himself.

When police arrived at the home, Cummings picked up a BB gun, which might have led to the shooting, his father, James Cummings Sr., said.

He said his son, a former Marine, was mentally ill and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Cary police, however, have not released any information about the shooting, including the officer involved, but Town of Cary spokeswoman Susan Moran said Monday that he is on administrative duty pending the conclusion of internal and external examinations.

The State Bureau of Investigation has been called in to review the case, which is standard protocol for any officer-related shooting.

Credits