SBI probes shooting involving APD officer

Published 9:51 am Monday, October 26, 2020

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AHOSKIE – The North Carolina SBI is investigating a shooting involving an Ahoskie Police officer on Friday night that left an assault suspect, attempting to flee on foot, hospitalized.

That suspect, Patrick Riddick, underwent surgery on Saturday for a gunshot wound to his hand. He has since been released from the hospital and is currently in the Hertford County Jail. His charges, according to court documents, include possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, felony larceny, and felony breaking and entering/terrorize/injure.

Riddick also faces several misdemeanors, including assault with a deadly weapon, assault on a female, communicating threats, and resisting arrest.

Ahoskie Police Chief Troy Fitzhugh said his officers responded to two separate calls in town on Oct. 23 approximately 45 minutes apart. Riddick (aka ‘Pat-Pat”) was the suspect in both incidents.

The first call came at approximately 10:06 pm in regards to a male, nicknamed Pat-Pat, having a gun at a residence on Pine Street and was threatening to shoot someone, according to Chief Fitzhugh.

APD officers responded to the call, but the suspect had left prior to their arrival.

At approximately 10:47 pm, Ahoskie Police were alerted to a call in the area of Burden Street that the same male suspect, armed with a gun, was assaulting a female. It was at that call where the suspect was identified as Patrick Riddick.

The first Ahoskie officer arrived and saw Riddick running in the area of Vinson Drive. That officer gave chase on foot. A second officer arrived and joined the foot chase.

Riddick ran through a residential neighborhood as the officers commanded him to stop, but Riddick continued to flee.

Chief Fitzhugh said that upon the officers catching up with Riddick, both could clearly see he had a gun tucked in his waistband. While trying to get him in custody, Riddick reached for his gun. One officer deployed his taser and the second officer shot Riddick in his right hand as the suspect was pulling out his gun, according to Fitzhugh.

Riddick’s gun was recovered at the scene.

Riddick was transported to Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie with a non-life threatening injury to his hand. He was later transported to Vidant Medical Center Greenville to undergo surgery on his hand.

Officers with he Ahoskie Police Department remained with Riddick until he was released from the hospital.

Per Ahoskie Police Department policy, when an officer has to use his firearm, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is called in to investigate the shooting.

Fitzhugh said the officer who fired his weapon was placed on paid administrative leave until the NCSBI investigation is complete.

Neither officer was injured while chasing and arresting Riddick.

About Cal Bryant

Cal Bryant, a 40-year veteran of the newspaper industry, serves as the Editor at Roanoke-Chowan Publications, publishers of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald, Gates County Index, and Front Porch Living magazine.

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