'Easygoing' Off-Duty Cop In North Carolina Accused Of First-Degree Murder On New Year’s Day

A North Carolina off-duty police officer is accused of murder after he allegedly got into a domestic dispute in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day, officials said.

Shortly after 2 a.m. on Jan. 1, police in Ranlo responded to a shooting at a residence involving the officer, identified as Kwaku Riley Agyapon, the Charlotte Observer reported, citing a news release.

According to the report, Agyapon was stabbed multiple times before he allegedly shot and killed the stabbing suspect.

Following a Gaston County Police and State Bureau of Investigations investigation, authorities obtained an arrest warrant and took Agyapon into custody on a first-degree murder charge, officials said.

The officer, who had been with the Ranlo Police Department since August, was placed on unpaid administrative leave pending an internal investigation into the deadly incident.

Agyapon was taken to CaroMont Health and was expected to be booked into the Gaston County jail following his release from observation at the medical facility.

Police noted witnesses were present in the home at the time of the shooting, but officials have not yet released the identity of the victim or other details about the case.

Agyapon’s neighbor, Trevor Toodzieki, told WSOC-TV the alleged domestic violence-related incident “doesn’t make any sense” since “the cops around here are usually very helpful and very professional.”

Another neighbor, who was not named, told the station the shooting suspect “was really easygoing, he was always friendly … he had children and he took care of his kids.”

“I’m just blown away really,” the neighbor added.