CLAYTON., N.C. (AP) — A man was shot and killed by a North Carolina sheriff’s deputy outside of a hospital early Monday during a struggle that began when the man tried to take the deputy’s gun, authorities said.
The shooting happened in a parking lot for UNC Health Johnston in Clayton, news outlets reported.
The Johnston County deputy tried to leave the lot in his patrol car about 5:45 a.m. when a man confronted him and attempted to gain control of the deputy’s firearm, the Johnston sheriff’s office said in a new release. The deputy was able to regain control of his weapon, and shots were fired that resulted in the suspect’s death, the release said.
The name of the deputy and the man were not immediately released. The State Bureau of Investigation was asked to review what happened, which is common in such officer-involved shootings. The deputy has been placed on administrative leave with pay, news outlets said.
Several law enforcement vehicles were at the scene Monday. Hospital security staff were escorting visitors and patients on the campus Monday morning before the hospital returned to normal operations, a hospital spokesperson said.
Clayton is a bedroom community of Raleigh about 15 miles (25 kilometers) southeast of the capital city. The hospital opened in 2009 with emergency and outpatient services and now includes 50 patient rooms for in-patient care.