A gunman is dead and two Lenoir County sheriff’s deputies are hospitalized following an exchange of gunfire on Jonestown Road in Pink Hill, North Carolina. Authorities responded to reports of a man shooting at passersby before deputies were shot outside a residence late Friday morning, according to local officials.
Deputies Shot After Responding to Calls in Pink Hill
The incident began shortly after 11 a.m. on Friday, when Lenoir County emergency dispatchers received reports of an individual firing shots at people passing by in the 700 block of Jonestown Road, according to Lenoir County Sheriff Jackie Rogers. When two deputies arrived at the residence, a man emerged from the home and opened fire, striking one deputy in the stomach. The deputies returned fire before the gunman retreated inside the property.
Additional law enforcement officers soon converged on the scene and ordered the suspect to surrender. The gunman fired again from inside the dwelling, striking a second deputy before retreating. Law enforcement officers subsequently breached the front door and deployed a reconnaissance drone, which located the suspect inside a bedroom. Chad Flowers of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation confirmed that the gunman was killed during the operation, though the exact cause of his death remains under investigation.
Extensive Multi-Agency Response and Medical Evacuation
The violent encounter drew a response from regional law enforcement and emergency services. The State Bureau of Investigation says that approximately 26 agents deployed to the scene, utilizing armored vehicles from the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office and the Kinston Police Department. Deputies from neighboring Jones, Duplin, Greene, Nash, and Craven counties also responded to assist, alongside the State Highway Patrol, Alcohol Law Enforcement, and the Department of Insurance.
Greenville police dispatched crisis negotiators to the scene as the standoff unfolded. Both wounded deputies were transported via ambulance under police escort to ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville, where one underwent surgery. Sheriff Rogers described their injuries as non-life-threatening.
Investigation Underway as Officials Withhold Suspect Identity
| Incident Detail | Recorded Information |
|---|---|
| Location | 700 block of Jonestown Road, Pink Hill, N.C. |
| Time of Initial Call | Shortly after 11 a.m., Friday |
| Law Enforcement Casualties | Two Lenoir County deputies (non-life-threatening injuries) |
| Suspect Status | Deceased |
| Lead Investigating Agency | North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) |
State investigators have not yet publicly released the identity of the deceased gunman. SBI Public Information Officer Chad Flowers stated that authorities are withholding the name while working to notify the man’s children.
Following standard protocol, the involved officers have been placed on administrative duty. SBI crime scene personnel and agents remain on Jonestown Road processing evidence, while the public has been advised to avoid the area.
