WALLACE, N.C. (WNCT) — Wallace police say a suspect is in custody after a standoff that lasted several hours and ended with shots fired early Wednesday morning.
Wallace Police Chief Jimmy Crayton told WNCT’s Claire Curry they received a call at 2:11 am about an armed robbery taking place at the loading docks at Walmart. Officers found a man sitting in the driver’s seat of a delivery truck.
When officers approached him, the suspect placed a gun underneath his chin and said, according to police, “Either you’re going to shoot me or I’m going to shoot myself.”
Officials negotiated with the suspect for four hours. Wallace police said he then turned his gun, a rifle, toward police. When he did, shots were fired and the suspect was struck. The situation ended around 6:30 a.m., and the suspect was taken into custody. He was then taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Wednesday afternoon, Wallace police said Jerry Arnold Flakes Jr., 30, of Sardis, Ga. was the suspect. Officials said a stolen vehicle Flakes was driving was also found.
Investigators said video surveillance showed Flake approaching the Walmart loading docks from the nearby woods just after 2 a.m. He tried to get into a truck before running into the driver. Flake reportedly pointed his gun at the driver and told him to get out of the truck.
Flake chased the driver while pointing his rifle at him. The driver dropped his keys, Flake picked them up and tried to drive away in the delivery truck. Police then arrived and surrounded the area, which led to the standoff.
When Flake pointed his gun at law enforcement, officers fired five rounds, investigators report. His gun was removed and he was then taken out of the truck and to the hospital.
Once released from the hospital, Flake will be charged with Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer with a Firearm, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle, Felony Breaking and Entering, Breaking and Entering of a Motor Vehicle, and Possession of methamphetamine.
There were no hostages and no other injuries. The store has since reopened.
Wallace police said the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, Pender County Sheriff’s Office, NC State Highway Patrol, Duplin EMS, Pender Fire & EMS and the NC State Bureau of Investigation answered the call for assistance.
