Mint Hill police said officers were called around 10:45 a.m. to a custody exchange at an Edible Arrangements store in Mint Hill. According to police, the man pulled out a gun and began shooting, prompting officers to return fire. The man died at the scene.
Two Mint Hill police officers were struck during the exchange and were taken to a hospital in critical condition, the department said in a statement posted on social media.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene following the gunfire. Kevin Phayme, a manager at Empire Pizza nearby, told reporters he and employees were outside on a smoke break when they saw two officers enter the store. Moments later, he said, one officer helped the other back outside, both with blood visible on their hands.
Authorities did not immediately release the identities of the man who was killed or the injured officers, and no additional details about the custody exchange were provided.
Mint Hill is a community of about 27,000 people located roughly 12 miles east of Charlotte. The shooting remains under investigation, police said.
