The sheriff in a North Carolina county says that two deputies and a suspect were shot on Tuesday, and he expressed frustration that a murder suspect had been released from jail on bond before the shootings.
Robeson County Sheriff Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said investigators went to talk to Shawn Locklear, Jr., who was wanted for cutting off his ankle bracelet last month following charges of assault on a female and assault by pointing a gun. He was also out on bond on first-degree murder in a separate case.
When deputies arrived, they say Locklear ran into a wooded area and when they caught up with him several bullets were fired and the deputies were shot.
The suspect then got into a deputy’s patrol vehicle and took off; the sheriff said a deputy was run over by the patrol vehicle.
Deputy Jonathan Walters, 37 was shot in the lower body and listed in critical but stable condition. Deputy Kaelin Locklear, 23 was shot in the upper body and is listed in stable condition.
“I am as frustrated as I have ever been,” said Sheriff Wilkins. “We continue to pray that we don’t lose either of these deputies due to the actions of a suspect who clearly has shown he is a dangerous criminal. For a murder suspect to be out roaming the streets of our county under the pretense of being on Pre-trial release is a travesty. District Attorney Matt Scott and his office, along with pre-trial representatives, were against his release, and somehow, it still occurred. This man should have been in jail. We continue to do our jobs, and I need the courts to do theirs.”
Locklear was shot several times and was also taken to the hospital.
Upon release, he will be charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder and a list of other charges related to weapons, drugs, and running from police.
