On Tuesday night, a Cleveland County Sheriff's deputy was airlifted to the hospital after he was shot in the face and leg during a confrontation that broke out while he was responding to a call in Cleveland County, North Carolina.
Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman told WSOC that at around 10:30 p.m. EDT, the officer, who has not been named, responded to a call about a man who was wanted by probation and parole. The deputy found the man at the KM Auto Broker car dealership, where a confrontation ensued.
At some point, the suspect, who has also not be identified by name, pulled out a firearm and shot the deputy in the face and thigh, hitting him twice.
"The deputy sheriff came to work tonight to defend the citizens of Cleveland County and to go home to his family this morning," Norman told reporters during a press conference. "Right now, he's laying in a hospital in guarded condition. It's an unfortunate situation."
The deputy was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to the Gaston Gazette. The suspect was apprehended in Cabarrus County, located about 70 miles away, and was brought back to Cleveland County to face charges. Norman told reporters that the incident is captured on the deputy's body camera footage, and the sheriff credited the officer's body camera with helping to identify and locate the suspect. He also applauded the combined effort of various law enforcement agencies.
Norman shared that receiving the phone call informing him that the deputy had been shot was one of the worst moments of his life, even though in the back of his mind he knew it could happen.
"We're praying for his full recovery," Norman said. "Right now my main concern is for the deputy, his family and the men and women I work with."
During a conversation with the deputy's family, Norman tried to offer comforting words and let them know that the department is there to help them through the difficult time, including with transportation, food and lodging.
The deputy is currently recovering at the hospital with his family and has been with the department for three years. Norman told reporters that the suspect will most likely be charged with attempted murder and possibly other charges related to being wanted by police, though no charges have been determined as of yet. It's the first time a Cleveland County sheriff's deputy has been shot this year.
On the same night that the deputy was shot, the Gaston Gazette reported that a Shelby Police Department was involved in a crash on the same highway where the auto dealership is located. It's not clear if the two incidents are related. The suspect involved in the shooting of the deputy was arrested about three hours after the incident took place.
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