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Man accused of shooting CMPD officer could face federal charges

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The man suspected of shooting a Charlotte Mecklenburg police officer could face federal charges in the case.

Police said James Lewis, 31, shot Officer Shane Page as he and fellow officers tried to arrest Lewis at a home in Fort Mill on a robbery charge.

Lewis was also shot in the exchange of gunfire and he has not been charged in the shooting, but police Chief Rodney Monroe said he could be charged with assaulting a federal law enforcement officer because Page was operating under the umbrella of a federal task force.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation sent a team to investigate the shooting and a spokeswoman said that is routine in cases where FBI agents are involved in a shooting.

But the U.S. Attorney's Office has not said if they would charge Lewis in the case.

Lewis and Page were recovering at the Carolina's Medical Center Wednesday.

Their conditions were not available, but Monroe said Page was still in significant pain Wednesday morning.

A woman who police said lied to officers has been charged with obstructing justice in the case.

York County, S.C., deputies charged Kristie Barratt, 21, after they said she told officers that Lewis was not in her home.

A neighbor who heard the shots said he was not surprised by what happened there.

"No, no one is surprised. That's the troublemaking house in the neighborhood," Dave Csiszer told Eyewitness News Wednesday.

Csiszer was at home early Tuesday when he heard the gunshots and then saw Lewis come out of the house.

"As soon as I heard the shots, I heard, 'Shots fired! Shots fired!,'" he said. "And then the police officers kicking the door in, so the door was closed. Then they said, 'He's coming out!' and I saw him stumble on out," Csiszer said.

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