CALDWELL COUNTY, N.C. — The man accused of shooting a Caldwell County deputy on Sunday was killed Tuesday evening, according to the sheriff's office.
Investigators said the SWAT team exchanged gunfire with suspects at a home in the Zacks Fork area. Deputies said a man was shot and killed by a SWAT deputy, and a woman was taken in for questioning.
The woman was identified by Caldwell County authorities as Stephanie Sipes, who was charged with accessory after the fact of the attempted murder of Deputy Jordan Sherrill. She is being held under a $1 million bond.
The suspect who was shot and killed was identified as Kerry Edwin Townsend.
The District Attorney's Office released a statement Thursday afternoon stating they had reviewed the evidence in the case and have determined the shooting was lawful.
"Therefore, based upon applicable law and the facts as reported by eyewitness accounts, corroborated by body camera videos, photographs and the physical evidence, it is my conclusion that the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team officers acted lawfully in shooting Mr. Townsend on July 17, 2018"
Sherrill was shot around 11:30 p.m. Sunday on Cheraw Road near Pisgah Church Road. He was hit below his protective vest and airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. After surgery, Deputy Sherrill was reported in stable condition.