Raeford, North Carolina — A tragic incident unfolded Thursday when a Lee County sheriff’s deputy fatally shot a 13-year-old boy who was wanted in connection with the murder of his grandmother. According to law enforcement, the shooting occurred during a tense confrontation in which the teenager charged at the officer armed with a piece of lumber.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is set to conduct a review of the shooting, which is standard procedure in such cases. The events leading up to the shooting began when deputies from the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office responded to a wellness check at the home of 68-year-old Connie Linen, who was later found deceased. Authorities are treating her death as a homicide but have released few details regarding the circumstances surrounding it.
Investigators quickly identified Linen’s grandson as a suspect and issued a first-degree murder charge against him. Law enforcement later located the boy behind an abandoned mobile home in the Cameron area after receiving information about the earlier homicide.
When deputies attempted to apprehend him, the teen fled the scene, grabbing a two-by-four as he ran. Reports indicate that he charged at the responding deputy, who then discharged their weapon, resulting in the boy’s death. The sheriff’s office characterized the teenager as approximately 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighing around 150 pounds.
Local residents expressed shock and sadness over the events. Clifford Covill, who lives across the street from Linen, described the family’s dynamic as loving and “very proper.” Covill remarked that he never witnessed any troubling signs coming from their home, adding, “I want to believe it was something emotional that just went bad. I feel for both Connie and that boy.”
Both Lee County Sheriff Brian Estes and the State Bureau of Investigation have not yet provided further details regarding the circumstances of the shooting or the ongoing investigation. Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil expressed condolences to the community, stating that this incident has impacted many lives. He urged residents to approach the situation with compassion and understanding as they grapple with the emotional fallout.
Community members are left reflecting on the personal and broader implications of this tragedy, underscoring the complexities involved when youth and police confrontations intersect with familial circumstances.