'Tragic incident': Gaston County Police identify man killed by officer

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — A man who was shot and killed by a Gaston County police officer earlier this month refused multiple commands to drop a weapon he was holding before charging at the officers, investigators said. 

The Gaston County Police Department responded to a 911 call at a home on Beau Drive in Stanley around 12:20 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, for a man suffering from self-inflicted stab wounds. When officers arrived, they found 42-year-old Eric Edwin Bianchi holding a machete. 

Multiple attempts to peacefully resolve the standoff were unsuccessful as officers claimed that Bianchi refused to comply with their requests to drop his weapon. At one point, Bianchi allegedly moved toward the officers with the weapon. One of the officers opened fire, perceiving an imminent deadly threat. 

An anonymous neighbor told WCNC Charlotte that Bianchi was a father to young children.

The department says the officer who fired the weapon has been with the agency for nine years. The officer is part of a high-risk specialized unit that’s more likely to be dispatched and engage with armed individuals. According to a release from the Gaston County Police Department, the officer fired his weapon during two previous incidents over his nine-year tenure, both of which were justified by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). 

Both officers involved in this incident remain on administrative leave pending the outcome of external and internal reviews. The SBI is conducting an external investigation to determine if all protocol was followed and whether the use of force was justified. 

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Gaston County CrimeStoppers at 704-861-8000. 

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