Man killed by Johnston deputy at UNC hospital in Clayton tried to take gun, sheriff says
A Johnston County deputy fatally shot a man who tried to take his gun Monday morning outside the UNC Health Johnston hospital in Clayton, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Alan Wolf, director of news and media relations for UNC Health, said the shooting followed “an altercation” in the parking lot and that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
“No hospital employees were harmed,” Wolf said. “All areas of the hospital are open. However, our security team is escorting all visitors and patients to their areas.”
This is what the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office says happened:
At 5:46 a.m. a deputy was trying to leave the hospital parking lot in his patrol car when a man confronted him, according to a news release.
“During the encounter, the suspect attempted to gain control of the deputy’s firearm,” the release stated. “A struggle ensued into the parking lot where the deputy was able to regain control of his firearm, and shots were fired resulting in the death of the suspect.”
The Sheriff’s Office is not currently identifying the deputy or the man killed and does not have body-worn or in-car cameras, spokesman Maj. Jeff Caldwell told The News & Observer by email Monday.
Local law enforcement agencies that do have cameras often ask a judge for permission to release camera footage to show what happened in such incidents.
Sheriff Steve Bizzell and District Attorney Susan Doyle have asked the State Bureau of Investigation to review the incident, which is normal procedure when an officer shoots someone.
The deputy in Monday’s shooting has been placed on administrative leave with pay, which is also typical procedure.
About UNC Health Johnston
UNC Health opened the Clayton hospital in 2009 and expanded it in 2015 to serve the growing Clayton area.
The 50-bed hospital has over 300 physicians and over 2,000 employees at its Clayton and Smithfield hospitals.
We will update this breaking news story as we get more information.
