Hickory officer who shot man is on leave

Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007

By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer

An officer who shot a man during a confrontation on Friday is on administrative leave until the Hickory Police Department and the State Bureau of Investigation complete their review of the shooting.

Domestic violence investigator Dustin Nowatka, who has been with the Hickory police since 1998, was involved in a Friday morning shootout with Christopher George "Charles" Smith, 37 of Catawba County. At least one bullet struck Smith, who later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Smith's body was taken to Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem for an autopsy.

At about 8 a.m. Friday, Smith's wife, 31-year-old Catherine Smith, was found lying in the middle of 19th Street S.E., a dead-end road in an industrial area of the city. Police believe her husband gunned her down as she headed to work.

Catherine Smith had an active domestic violence protection order against her husband, documents show.

Two hours later, after a crime spree that included a kidnapping and carjacking, Charles Smith led officers on a chase through downtown Hickory that ended at the 19th Street S.E. business where Catherine Smith worked.

He ran into the building, encountered several employees and fired at least one shot inside the business. Three Hickory officers followed Smith and ordered him to drop his weapon, police said. He turned toward them with his gun, and Nowatka fired, striking Smith.

Hickory Police Department policy is to place officers on leave when they are involved in a shooting.

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