Erratic Driver Nabbed With Shotgun, Pistols, Drugs: CMPD

CHARLOTTE, NC — Charlotte police said they relied on deescalation techniques to diffuse a potentially dangerous situation earlier this week after a Georgia man who refused to stop for blue lights was found armed with a shotgun, two pistols and more than 100 rounds of ammunition.

The incident occurred shortly after 7 p.m. on Feb. 23, when a police officer in a marked patrol car spotted a vehicle moving erratically.

“The officer initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, but the driver refused to stop,” Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said in a statement. “The officer did not pursue the suspect but notified additional patrol units of the situation.”

Officers caught up with the driver — later identified as John Cook, 57 of Gray, Georgia — on Monroe Road, where they again attempted to initiate a traffic stop.

Officers approaching Cook’s car, however, saw he was armed with a shotgun.

“Officers were able to initiate a dialogue with the armed suspect in attempts to deescalate the situation,” CMPD said. “Through this dialogue, they were able to persuade the suspect to surrender his weapons, and he was peacefully taken into custody.”

In addition to the shotgun, two handguns and ammunition, Cook was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine, CMPD said.

He was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; carrying a concealed weapon; failure to heed emergency lights and/or sire; possession of methamphetamine; possession of a controlled substance in a jail; and possession of drug paraphernalia.