HARRISBURG, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The NC State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has identified a man who they say fatally shot a woman and then took his own life after firing at deputies outside a Harrisburg home.

According to the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, on Monday, Jan. 13, deputies responded to a home on Hammermill Drive near Roberta Road regarding a reported domestic dispute.

“As the yelling got louder that’s when we heard somebody was having an argument, and that’s when we heard gunshots. And me and my wife we got down, started crawling to our closet,” said Nickolas Crawford, a neighbor.

Upon arriving at the scene, authorities said, two deputies witnessed a man fatally shot a woman in the driveway of the home.

The suspect then hid behind a vehicle and fired multiple rounds at the responding deputies, “displaying reckless disregard for the safety of nearby homes and residents in the neighborhood,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Stay off the radio he’s laying down. He’s behind the bumper of the car,” said one responding deputy on the police radio traffic.

“Cabarrus shots are still being fired–handgun or rifle,” said another deputy.

Deputies say Wimbley fired at them, and they fired back in a firefight in the middle of the neighborhood while requesting additional support from the Concord Police Department.

On the police radio, deputies can be heard screaming, “Shots fired.” Then another deputy says, “Send us everything you’ve got,” meaning to bring all the resources to the firefight in the middle of the neighborhood.

“I’m like let’s get upstairs hurry up, go in the bathroom,” said Yakita Benson, the next-door neighbor.

Benson raced to safety with her seven kids while shots were firing off next door, and she was on the phone with her husband who was driving home from work.

“We’re just hoping that they’ll all be ok, and we can all recover from this you know mentally,” said her husband, Rapheal Benson.

The incident concluded with both the female victim and the male suspect pronounced dead at the scene. The woman has been identified as Chartara Laverta Courtney, 43, and the suspect has been identified as Willie Lawrence Wimbley, 47. Authorities said the two were previously known to have been in a dating relationship.

Both are from Georgia and Wimbley has faced drug charges while living in Augusta, officials say.

The Bensons car was shot up, and they’re so shaken by what happened that they’re planning to move.

“This is just going to force us to go somewhere else, that’s where we’re at, we have a family to protect, like I said, the police response was tremendous but what if they can’t get there next time,” said Benson.

The initial investigation determined that the suspect died of an apparent suicide, however, the information is preliminary as the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office awaits final determination from the medical examiner’s office and the results of the SBI investigation.

Although this incident is tragic due to the loss of life, the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office commends the courageous actions of the responding deputies and appreciates the critical assistance provided by the Concord Police Department.

Van W. Shaw, Cabarrus County Sheriff

No deputies were injured during this incident.

Those involved have been placed on administrative leave, as protocol. The SBI is conducting an independent investigation in accordance with Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office policy.