Sheriff's deputies said a Smithfield woman fatally shot herself Monday while cleaning her firearm.
Linda Hickman, 43, of 118 Ray Drive, was cleaning her shotgun when the weapon discharged, wounding her in the chest, said Tammy Amaon, a spokeswoman with the Johnston Sheriff's Office.
The accidental shooting was reported about 12:14 p.m., when one of Hickman's neighbors saw her laying on the ground, Amaon said this afternoon.
Emergency workers rushed Hickman to Johnston Memorial Hospital in Smithfield, where she was pronounced dead of her injuries, Amaon said.
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Four New York-based pianists will be in Clayton this week, ready to share their mastery of the 18th century instrument with a modern twist. 
After multiple attempts to build a downtown Clayton residential development between Front Street and NC 42 East, East Village, LLC, and federal funds have come together to extend the old railroad street and bring the real estate project to fruition. 
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