By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Police Chief Jerry Stokes said his department’s internal affairs division will investigate the officer response to a January shooting at Thelma’s Down Home Cooking.

This review comes after some citizens expressed concerns, Stokes said in the statement.

Six people were shot, one of whom was seriously injured while attending an overnight party at the restaurant, located in West End Plaza. Police and county officials have said the “unsanctioned” party was a violation of the restaurant’s lease. In late January, County Attorney Jay Dees informed restauranteur Thelma Luckey via letter that because of multiple violations to her lease they were terminating the lease and she would need to vacate the premises.

The restaurant was rented for a birthday party and that party’s host hired an off-duty Salisbury Police officer for security, Stokes said during a news conference. There were other police in the parking lot and vicinity, Stokes said.

“Our officers’ response to the shooting at Thelma’s Restaurant was done with the utmost courage and restraint,” Stokes said Wednesday. “Rather than running in and confronting the shooter or shooters with uncontrolled use of force in a crowded area that could have harmed innocent people, the officers entered and began to manage the quick escape of those attending the event, and located and assisted the victims.”

He called the officers’ actions both heroic and compassionate, “showing no regard for their own personal safety. It was the officers’ quick transport of the most seriously wounded victim that likely saved his life.”

Stokes said his goal is to ensure the Salisbury Police Department is both responsive to the public’s concerns and is transparent in its operations.

“After some concern expressed by members of our community, I have tasked our Professional Standards Unit to debrief how we responded to the situation at Thelma’s Restaurant before, during and after to ensure we operated within our standard procedures and policies,” he said. “We will debrief whether our lines of communication are clear regarding information dissemination and if there are any areas where we can improve or alter. … It is important for us to take opportunities to review our response to a situation such as this to ensure we are meeting those standards.”