North Carolina deputy kills man trying to flee traffic stop

Published 12:14 am Monday, February 7, 2022

LINCOLNTON (AP) — A North Carolina sheriff’s deputy has shot and killed a man who tried to flee a traffic stop and dragged the deputy through a field, authorities said.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that deputies tried to stop a car on a road in Lincolnton on Saturday morning.

During the traffic stop, the suspect tried to flee the scene, dragging a sheriff’s deputy through a field, according to the news release. While being dragged while inside the open driver’s side door, the deputy drew his service weapon and shot the suspect. The deputy was thrown from the vehicle, which hit a tree.

Deputies on the scene tended to the suspect, who died at the scene, the sheriff’s office said.

The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the shooting. The deputy who shot the suspect has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation. The suspect’s name is being withheld pending notification of the family.

The sheriff’s office also says it has body worn camera video of the incident.