A suicidal Navy veteran who was allegedly suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder was shot dead by four police officers last night after warning a crisis hotline that an encounter with the law 'would not end well ' . William Poole , 52 , was killed by officers from the Gaston County Police department outside his home in Gastonia , North Carolina , Monday night . Police say they found him sitting on a lawnmower with a handgun , and that he opened fire after they approached him . Shot dead : Officers from Gaston County Police in North Carolina killed William Poole , 52 , on Monday night . Police are pictured above on the scene . The officers then shot back , killing him . They had been sent to his home by concerned workers at the National Veterans Helpline . The crisis service had taken a call from him in which he said was going to kill himself - and not to send anybody to his house because it would 'not end well ' . 'Excessive ' : Robert Hinson , Powell 's son-in-law , spoke out after the shooting . None of the officers was harmed . Robert Hinson , Poole 's son-in-law , told news channel WSOCTV he was on the phone with him moments before the death . Hinson , who lives on the same street as Poole , said he had only just hung up when he heard shots ring out . He said : 'Next thing I knew I 'm hearing boom , boom , boom - sounded like the Fourth of July went off . ' Hinson said that Poole had PTSD , but that 'he never tried to hurt anybody ' . He told local news station WBTV that Poole had served with the Navy in Beirut . He characterized the police response as 'excessive ' . Hinson said : ' I ran out the door and I see four county officers with their guns drawn and my father-in-law laying on the ground . ' At a press conference Monday night , Gaston County police chief James Buie said : 'This is an unfortunate situation and our thoughts and prayers go out to all that 's involved ' . The four officers have been put on administrative leave . They have not been named . The shooting is being investigated by state authorities and Gaston County Police 's professional standards unit . Suicide call : Police were sent to Poole 's home after he phoned a veterans ' crisis line and said he was suicidal . He also warned against sending anybody as it 'would not end well '
William Poole , 52 , was killed in North Carolina , Gastonia , on Monday night . He opened fire on police while sitting on a lawnmower outside his house . Earlier that night he called veterans ' crisis line and said he was suicidal .