An Alexander County Sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a man Sunday night after authorities say the suspect threatened the deputy with an ax.
The incident began with a domestic altercation, said Alexander County Sheriff Chris Bowman. William Frederick Ippolito, 47, and his wife recently separated and she was staying with a friend. At about 9 p.m. Sunday the Alexander County communications center received a call to the house where his wife was staying. Bowman said the friend had been assaulted by Ippolito.
An officer driving to the friend’s house spotted Ippolito driving and pulled him over, Bowman said.
“While the officer started his investigation, the suspect jumped back in his car, and the officer followed, but it was not a pursuit,” Bowman said.
Ippolito returned to his home, at 2794 Sulphur Springs Road in Hiddenite. The deputy called for backup, believing Ippolito could be armed. Bowman did not say why the deputy believed Ippolito could have a weapon.
“The suspect starts cursing and yelling, ‘come and get me,’ and then goes back inside and shuts the door,” Bowman said.
Additional officers arrived, bringing with them warrants for resisting arrest and traffic charges, Bowman said. Two officers approached the front door and pushed it open, but Ippolito slammed it shut again. A few minutes later, at about 10:30 p.m., Ippolito opened the door, holding an ax in his hands. The two officers were about three or four feet from the front door, Bowman said.
“He lunged toward the officers with the ax drawn back,” he said. “The officer had to discharge his weapon to defend himself from the ax. They were about to be hit with it.”
Bowman said only one officer fired his gun, shooting Ippolito three times in his chest. Ippolito was taken to Iredell Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Monday moring, Ippolito was taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston Salem for an autopsy.
There were two other adult women in the house at the time of the shooting. Bowman said he is unsure if they knew what Ippolito was about to do. The State Bureau of Investigation was contacted following the officer’s shooting, and is conducting an investigation, as well.
The officer involved in the shooting has since been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the SBI’s investigation. Bowman is not releasing the officer’s name at this time.
The Alexander County Sheriff’s Office has previously been called out to the home on Sulphur Springs Road for domestic-related calls, Bowman said.
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