‘Tragic for all.’ NC deputies kill hostage taker armed with a handgun, sheriff says
Catawba County sheriff’s deputies fatally shot a hostage taker Saturday who was armed with a handgun, Sheriff Don Brown said.
Just after 6:30 a.m., deputies responded to a report of a hostage situation on Village Circle in the Mountain View community, Brown said on Facebook.
The deputies saw a man who was armed with a handgun holding another man hostage, the sheriff said. The pair were family members, according to Brown.
Sheriff’s crisis negotiators and deputies tried several times to “de-escalate the situation and to encourage the hostage taker to release the hostage,” the sheriff’s office said on Facebook.
“Despite efforts by negotiators and deputies to bring about a peaceful resolution, the hostage taker continued to threaten the hostage and was shot by deputies,” according to the sheriff’s office Facebook post.
Brown did not specify the threats that prompted deputies to shoot the hostage taker.
Witnesses said a man took his adult son hostage in a vehicle before taking him into a home, WSOC reported.
Catawba County EMS treated the hostage taker, who was pronounced dead at the scene, Brown said.
The sheriff’s office didn’t release the names of the hostage taker, hostage or the officers.
As is standard procedure when an officer shoots someone, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has begun investigating the shooting, and the sheriff’s office is conducting an internal review, Brown said.
“These incidents are tragic for all involved,” Brown said on Facebook. “We are thankful that the hostage was not injured and that no further loss of life occurred. We will assist and cooperate fully with the SBI as they investigate.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with this family and with all of the law enforcement officers and their families affected by this incident.”
This story was originally published October 1, 2022 at 4:10 PM with the headline "‘Tragic for all.’ NC deputies kill hostage taker armed with a handgun, sheriff says."