HICKORY, N.C. — A 42-year-old Hickory man is in the hospital after he was shot by officers Thursday night, according to police.
Hickory Police said they responded to Corner Pocket Lounge, located on U.S. Highway 70 SW, around 10:40 p.m. after a report of a man with a gun at the business. The caller told officials that the suspect had pulled a gun on an employee.
Upon arrival officers located a man fitting the description in the back parking lot area of the business near the dumpster. The officers gave repeated verbal requests for him to show his hands and come out from behind the dumpster, according to officials.
Officers then attempted to talk to the suspect for several minutes to get him to comply, but instead he made several verbal threats towards the officers, police said. The suspect, later identified as Gregory Ray Cribb, then advanced the officers and two officers fired their guns striking him, according to a news release.
Cribb was transported to Carolinas Medical Center for treatment and is currently in stable condition.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation was requested and responded to conduct and independent investigation of the incident. The two officers involved, Officer Josh Null and Officer Richard Bortnick, have been placed on administrative leave pending the results of the investigation, which is standard procedure in incidents of this nature.
