Teen charged with grandmother's murder in North Carolina shot dead during arrest attempt in Hoke County: sheriff
A 13-year-old boy charged with first-degree murder in the death of his grandmother was shot and killed by police in North Carolina, officials said.
Around 9:20 a.m., the Hoke County, North Carolina Sheriff's Office responded to a well-being check on Thursday at a home in Raeford. A second 911 caller reported finding an unresponsive woman, identified as Connie Linen, 68, inside the home. She was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS, the sheriff's office said.
During the investigation, detectives identified the grandson as the suspect. Working with the district attorney's office, they charged him with first-degree murder through secured-custody paperwork.
The teen was found inside a stolen car, which belonged to his grandmother, behind an abandoned mobile home in the Cameron community, according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office. The suspect then ran on foot across the street and into a wooded area.
During the pursuit, the 13-year-old allegedly charged toward a deputy with a piece of 2x4 lumber from a yard of a nearby home, authorities told ABC Raleigh-Durham affiliate WTVD . The deputy then shot his weapon, hitting the suspect.
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The teen died at the scene, LCSO confirmed.
Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil said in a statement obtained by WTVD: "This has been a tragic and emotional situation for everyone involved. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Ms. Linen, as well as Nationally Accredited Agency the family of the juvenile. We ask that our community come together with compassion and understanding as we all process this difficult event."
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is conducting a separate investigation, which is standard protocol in all officer-involved shootings.
This comes as a manhunt is underway in Eastern North Carolina for a 24-year-old accused of killing his grandmother and setting her house on fire.
