Kemberle Braden

Chief of Police

Release: IMMEDIATE           Contact: Officer A. Pecia, Public Information Officer

Date: October 2, 2023           Phone: (910) 433-2888          OCA: 2023-024642

All suspects, and persons charged with a crime, are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Persons of interest are believed to have information relating to a case and have not been charged unless stated otherwise.

Update to In-Custody Incident

(Fayetteville, NC) – The suspect in question and the officers involved in the in-custody incident that occurred in the early morning hours on Monday, October 2, 2023 have been identified.

The suspect has been identified as Lawrence Artis (Black male, 29 years old) of Fayetteville. He is currently in critical condition.

The officers involved have been identified as Officer Justin DeHaan, Officer Trent Folk, and Officer Ryan Hirschi. The involved officers are currently on administrative duty, pending the outcome of the investigation, as is standard procedure.

Shooting Investigation

(Fayetteville, NC) – In the early morning hours of Monday, October 2, 2023 officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to a shots fired notification from Shot Spotter in the 6900 block of Cliffdale Road.

Upon arriving on scene, officers saw a male walking through the empty parking lot. Officers made contact with a suspect, and he was detained pending the officers’ investigation into the incident. During the initial search of the suspect, a firearm was found. Further investigation into the suspect indicated he was a convicted felon, which prohibited him from possessing a firearm. While handcuffed, with his hands behind his back, during a secondary search, the suspect was able to reach for a second firearm concealed in his pants pocket and shot himself. Officers began life-saving measures immediately and requested medical personnel to the scene. The suspect was life-flighted to a hospital to receive treatment. He is currently in stable condition.                                                                                                        

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has been contacted to conduct the investigation into this in-custody incident. The involved officers will be placed on administrative duty, pending the outcome of the investigation, as is standard procedure. The Fayetteville Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit will conduct an internal investigation to ensure all departmental policies and procedures were adhered to during the incident.

The names of all parties involved are currently being withheld. Additional information will be released as it becomes available. Questions concerning this investigation need to be directed to the State Bureau of Investigation.