Trooper-involved shooting under investigation, officials said driver pulled pistol

By Annette Weston

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    SILER CITY, North Carolina (WLOS) — An officer-involved shooting is under investigation by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation after officials said a man who was pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt Monday afternoon pulled out a handgun and pointed it at a state trooper.

Officials said the State Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop on the driver of a pickup truck in Siler City, and during the course of the traffic stop, Mark Anthony Diaz, 21, of Staley, pulled out a pistol and the trooper fired his service weapon and shot Diaz.

Authorities on the scene immediately began life-saving procedures until emergency medical personnel arrived and Diaz was taken to the hospital. He was later pronounced dead.

The trooper was not injured.

Investigators said a passenger ran from the traffic stop but later returned to the scene during the investigation.

Trooper Rodney N. Cook is a 16-year veteran and has been placed on administrative duty pending an internal investigation, which is protocol in any trooper-involved shooting.

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