13-Year-Old Murder Suspect Shot Dead by North Carolina Deputy After Grandmother's Homicide

When officers approached the teenager, he fled the scene, according to authorities.

Raeford:

A 13-year-old boy suspected of killing his grandmother was fatally shot by a North Carolina deputy after the teenager charged at the officer while wielding a piece of lumber he had picked up during a pursuit, authorities announced on Friday.

The State Bureau of Investigation will conduct a standard protocol review of Thursday's shooting involving the Lee County sheriff's deputy.

The incident began in Raeford, approximately 90 miles (145 kilometers) southwest of Raleigh, where the Hoke County Sheriff's Office discovered 68-year-old Connie Linen deceased in her residence. Officials confirmed she was a homicide victim but have not disclosed specific details about her death. Deputies had initially visited the home to conduct a well-being check.

Investigators identified Linen's grandson as a suspect and had completed documentation to charge him with first-degree murder, according to a news release from the Hoke Sheriff's Office.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office, after being notified about the homicide, later located the boy behind a vacant mobile home in the Cameron area.

As deputies attempted to approach the teenager, he attempted to escape, officials stated. During the chase, the boy grabbed a two-by-four board from a yard and rushed toward an officer, who then discharged his weapon, according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office. Their news release described the teenager as 5 feet, 11 inches (1.8 meters) tall and weighing 150 pounds (68 kilograms).

Lee County Sheriff Brian Estes and the State Bureau of Investigation did not immediately respond to Friday email inquiries seeking additional information about the shooting and ongoing investigation.

"This has been a tragic and emotional situation for everyone involved," Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil said on Friday. "We ask that our community come together with compassion and understanding as we all process this difficult event."