Local

Officer shot experienced in dangerous missions

FORT MILL, S.C. — A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officer is recovering Tuesday from two bullet wounds in a Charlotte hospital.

Shane Page was part of a special team of officers serving a warrant when police said the suspect opened fire.

Page is recovering at Carolinas Medical Center and his family has been at the hospital, along with a former officer who knows exactly what he's going through because he'd been through it all himself more than seven years ago.

Chief Rodney Monroe said Page was one of six officers, including four from Charlotte, who were at that house near Fort Mill trying to arrest 31-year-old James Lewis on robbery charges when Lewis shot him.

"All we know is that once that bedroom door was opened he immediately began firing his weapon," Monroe said.
Monroe said Page was shot twice.

One of the bullets came close to an artery that could have been fatal.

And no one knows the dangers of going after violent criminals better than Page.

Page helped set up the department's Violent Criminal Apprehension Team and was on a team of officers who were serving a warrant seven years ago when Officer Kayvon Hazrati was shot in the head.

Page and the other team members were given awards for valor after that shooting.

Hazrati survived but was not able to go back to work as a police officer.

Hazrati hasn't forgotten either and has been with Page and his family Tuesday at CMC.

Monroe praised the team that has gone out more than 3,000 times in the last few years.

"This is the team that we use religiously to go after the worst offenders," Monroe said. "Always, every time they go out, this opportunity exists. This unfortunate opportunity exists."

Lewis' background

Lewis has no criminal record in South Carolina and only a conviction for stealing a car in North Carolina in 1999.

Charlotte Mecklenburg police, working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force were at the home to serve a warrant on Lewis for an armed robbery in December.

That was when shots were fired.

A second person, Kirstie Barratt, who did live at the home, is also in custody and charged with obstruction of justice.

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