Two sheriff’s deputies were shot in western North Carolina on Wednesday, and a suspect remains barricaded inside of a home at the scene of the shooting.
Law enforcement went to a home in Boone, N.C., to perform a wellness check on a family after they did not attend their workplaces or respond to phone calls, the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a statement to The Hill. Sheriff’s deputies were fired upon after entering the home, and two were struck.
One of the deputies was flown to Johnson City Medical Center in nearby Johnson City, Tenn., for treatment. The other deputy, whose condition is unknown, was still at the scene Wednesday afternoon.
The sheriff’s office said the shooter, who was not identified, “remains active” and is barricaded in a section of the home. The shooter “periodically fires” a weapon “in the direction of officers.”
Residents in the area were urged by local emergency services to stay inside their homes and to close doors and windows, according to multiple reports.
Law enforcement officials evacuated nearby residents.
The police department in Boone, North Carolina confirmed on social media that it was assisting the sheriff’s office at the stand-off.
The North Carolina home is located near Appalachian State University. Police at the school confirmed that that they were investigating a shooting, but there “is no threat” to its campus.
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), whose district includes Watauga County, tweeted that “My prayers are with the deputy that was injured in the line of duty and the entire Watauga County Sheriff’s Department.”
“These brave men and women put their lives on the line to protect us, and they deserve our profound gratitude every day,” she continued.