Sheriff's deputy shoots gunman (updated at 1:33 p.m. with photos, story, map)

Updated 1:33 p.m.:

SHELBY - Following a stern confrontation, Cpl. Micah Sturgis, a Cleveland County Sheriff's Office deputy, shot a gun-wielding East Greene Street resident in the chest just after midnight Wednesday, authorities said.
Detective Lt. Jon Wright, of the sheriff's office, said the incident began as an unknown 911 call. It turned out as a "squabble" between two brothers at 834 E. Greene St.
"Deputies separated them and they each went into a different room," he said.
At some point during the incident, David Ray Lewis, 43, brandished a firearm, according to a sheriff's office release. Deputy Tim Elmore commanded the man to drop the weapon, to no avail.
Sensing imminent danger, Sturgis came into the room, Wright said. The resident began to turn with the gun and Sturgis responded with a single gunshot.
"Perceiving a threat to both himself and the other deputy he fired a single shot, striking the man with the gun," Wright said.
Lewis was taken to Cleveland Regional Medical Center but later transported to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte for injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening.
Lewis was listed in fair condition at CMC Wednesday.
Wright confirmed the State Bureau of Investigation was looking into the incident.
"Any time we have an officer involved in a shooting, just for the sake of transparency and objective opinion or viewpoint ... we request them to come in," he said. "That's standard practice. They run a concurrent investigation. We'll do an internal investigation to ensure policies and procedures were followed."
Capt. Alan Norman said Sturgis and Elmore have been placed on paid administrative leave.
Though the scene was clear of police tape and emergency vehicles late Wednesday morning, Peggy Absher, Lewis' next-door neighbor, was still shaken by the distinct sound of gunfire.
"We heard a bunch of thumping and carrying on and then the next thing we heard was a shot," she said. "There were cop cars all in the yard from here back up to the stop sign. It was unreal. They stayed out there all night long."
Nicky Jenkins, Absher's daughter, said she wasn't surprised the incident occurred.
"He's a drunk. He used to harass us and just cause my mother and sister problems," she said. "To be honest with you, I'm just thankful the officer responded and reacted the way that he did, because personally, in my heart, I feel that if he wouldn't have, the officer would be dead."
The shooting hits far too close to home for comfort, Jenkins said.
"I mean, my mother has been terrified to death all night. This is just too close to home. My mother is handicapped and this has to stop," she said. "This neighborhood is just littered with drugs and violence and it's now at our front door, literally. I don't live here but they're going to move. They've been looking for a place to move ... but more so now, I think it's going to be an urgency."

A Cleveland County Sheriff's deputy shot a man while responding to a 911 call just before midnight, said Cleveland County Sheriff's Office Detective Lt. Jon Wright.

The man was shot in the chest, but was expected to survive, Wright said. He was taken to Cleveland Regional Medical Center and then transferred to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.

The incident began when two deputies responded to a 911 call at 834 E. Greene St. outside of Shelby just before midnight Tuesday, Wright said.

Once there they found two brothers in a dispute. One deputy remained with one brother in the living room area while the other deputy took the second brother to a back bedroom in an attempt to separate them.

At some point the brother in the living room found a handgun and pointed it at the deputy, Wright said.

The man refused to put the gun down. The deputy in the back bedroom heard the commotion and came into the living room area, Wright said.

The man then pointed the gun at the second deputy.

"Perceiving a threat to both himself and the other deputy he fired a single shot, striking the man with the gun," Wright said. "He was shot in the chest one time."

The Cleveland County Sheriff's Office has requested assistance from the State Bureau of Investigation, a common occurrence when an officer is involved in a shooting, Wright said.

Wright would not release the name of the person shot or the deputies involved.

Check back at www.shelbystar.com for updates on this story. WSOC-TV contributed to this report.