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SYRACUSE — Neighbors who witnessed a police shooting in Syracuse Tuesday night are recounting the tense moments that led up to it.
Syracuse police said a call came in from a man who said his estranged mother was sending him text messages threatening both of their lives.
When police arrived at the home near 1900 West 2350 South, they said they confronted the 52-year-old woman who was inside a vehicle in front of the house.
"They quickly determined that she was holding a handgun. When confronted, she took a suicidal posture with the weapon," the statement said.
Police said they tried to convince the woman to surrender for several minutes.
"We've lived here eight years ... this is completely new and a shock," said Amber Hong who lives just a couple doors away. Hong heard the commotion around 10 p.m. Tuesday.
"When I looked out I saw there was quite a bit of officers here in the front yard area," said Hong. "And they had a vehicle parked halfway in the road up on this neighbor's yard here. Officers were just yelling, 'Please put down the gun, put down the gun.'"
A press release states at some point the woman, "moved the weapon in an aggressive manner and pointed it at the officers."
At that point officers fired, hitting the woman multiple times. She was taken to a nearby hospital.
Jolene and Bill Carter live a few doors down from the shooting. They say they heard 10 to 12 gunshots right around 10:20 p.m.
"I thought it was firecrackers," Jolene Carter said.
"It was very quick ... I hurried and shut the front door," Hong said.
Additionally, multiple neighbors tell KSL NewsRadio the family living at the site of the shooting moved in not too long ago. The Carters say they're keeping them in their thoughts.
"They're a nice family, this is a very peaceful neighborhood. I mean, we've never had anything like this happen," said Jolene Carter. "It's just a sad situation."
At one point, the Carters said the police asked them and others in the area to shelter in place. The order was eventually lifted.
Neighbors just one door down said they were contacted by police after their car caught a stray bullet.
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Adam Small
