A man shot in the leg by a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer early Sunday was a robbery victim, the department now says in an updated account of what happened in a parking lot of the Central Pointe Apartment complex on Central Avenue.

The victim, whose name was not released, had picked up an officer’s gun that had fallen to the ground and was pointing it at a robbery suspect. A second police officer, unaware of what had happened, fired three shots, striking the victim once in the leg.

The incident began shortly after 3:22 a.m. when police were called to the scene in response to a reported robbery.

Here is a police department account of what happened next:

Officer Joshua Skipper, the first officer to arrive, saw a vehicle in the parking lot and a male subject pointing at it.

As Skipper waited for backup, multiple suspects jumped from the car and ran. At least one suspect remained. Skipper caught one of the fleeing suspect and a scuffle ensued as the officer attempted to handcuff the man.

Meanwhile, the robbery victim had followed Skipper as he attempted to arrest the suspect.

Moments later, Officer Prince Blue arrived and ran to assist Skipper. Unbeknownst to Skipper, his backup pistol, which is allowed by CMPD directives, had fallen from its holster onto the ground.

The robbery victim picked up the officer’s gun and walked back toward the suspect vehicle and pointed it at a suspect who remained at the car. Skipper saw the robbery victim with the gun and told Officer Blue to tell the man to drop the weapon.

Blue was unaware that the man holding the gun was, in fact, the robbery victim. Blue repeatedly commanded the robbery victim to drop the gun, at which time the robbery victim turned toward the officers and pointed the gun directly at them.

Blue fired his weapon three times at the victim, striking him once in the leg.

The victim was treated at Carolinas Medical Center and released.

Blue, a member of the CMPD since September 14, 200 and currently assigned to the Eastover Division, was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an Internal Affairs investigation.

Police said no charges would be filed against the robbery victim.

Police said they arrested three suspects in reference to the armed robbery. They were listed as Ronald DeWayne Deese, 23; LaToya McRae, 27; L.C. Melton, 24; and Courtney Skie Miller, 23.

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