Updated 5:07 p.m.
Approximately 16 hours after a man was shot dead following an encounter with two Duke University Police officers early Saturday morning, DUPD officials have identified the involved officers as Larry Carter and Jeffrey Liberto. Carter has worked for DUPD for 23 years, Liberto has served for two.
The incident occurred at about 1 a.m. outside Duke University Hospital's main entrance on Erwin Road and Fulton Street. DUPD Chief John Dailey said the shooting resulted from an “altercation” between the man and the two DUPD officers.
"Incidents like this are very difficult emotionally for the officers involved," Dailey said in DUPD's second statement Saturday afternoon. "We're working with these two members of our team to provide support through Duke's employee assistance program."
Dailey said in an interview Saturday that this was an officer-involved shooting, though he would not comment on events leading up to the altercation or the incident itself.
“This is a tragic thing, it’s tragic for everybody that was involved,” Dailey said. “Absolutely our thoughts are with this person’s family.”
The individual was taken to Chapel Hill's Office of the Medical Examiner, but has not been "positively identified," according to DUPD's statement.
In their first statement Saturday morning, DUPD officials said that "there is no immediate indication that this involved an employee, patient or patient family member," noting that they will not release any more information, pending investigation by the department and the State Bureau of Investigation.
Dailey noted that there is no evidence the incident was gang related, but added that “everything is under investigation at this point.”
Patient care services and regular operations have not been disrupted by the incident. The hospital's main entrance was secured and blocked after the incident, and a mobile command center was assembled outside until between 8 and 9 a.m., Daily said. Durham Police Department provided additional officers to help DUPD secure the scene.
"There is no ongoing safety or security issue at Duke University Hospital as this was an isolated incident that occurred outside of the facility," the police statement said.
Dailey said one of the officers was treated for "a minor injury” in the emergency department and was released Saturday morning. He declined to comment on what kind of injuries the officer suffered.
In addition to the SBI's criminal investigation of the incident, DUPD will also conduct an internal administrative investigation as part of standard procedure in officer-involved shootings, Dailey said.
“We have officers who are trained in investigating these types of things,” Dailey said. “That is standard protocol for most agencies in North Carolina is to have the SBI come in. They are an objective, outside agency with a lot of expertise in investigating officer-involved incidents like this.”
Dailey said the investigations will not present a staffing strain for DUPD. He said the department is working to make sure all officers, particularly those involved in the incident, receive necessary support.
“Although they realize this can be part of the job, part of the responsibility, when it happens, it’s extremely traumatic,” Dailey said.
Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations, said Human Resources will work with the officers to ensure they receive counseling and other support.
Dailey and Schoenfeld did not know when the last officer-involved shooting on campus occurred.
October 27, 1992, escaped convict Ricky Lamont Coffin held four people hostage at gunpoint in Duke Hospital, and was subsequently fatally shot by a DPD sniper. The Chronicle could not locate records in its digital archives of an on-campus shooting by DUPD officers.
Schoenfeld said the University will look into the “isolated but serious issue.”
“Our first concern always is for the safety of our officers, our staff, our patients, our visitors and others who might have been in danger, and ensuring their safety will always be our first priority,” he said.
Michelle Gailiun, senior media relations strategist for Duke Medicine News & Communication, said she left the hospital early Saturday morning and could not comment beyond the information in the news release.
Doug Stokke, assistant vice president of communications for the Duke University Health System, deferred comment to David Jarmul, associate vice president for Duke News & Communications. Jarmul deferred comment back to Stokke, who did not respond to a second attempt for comment on hospital procedure in the incident.
Toni Wei contributed reporting.
The Chronicle is working to gather more information about the incident and will be updating as more becomes available. Please check back periodically for updates, or follow us on Twitter for instant updates @DukeChronicle.
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