Names released of deputy and man killed outside UNC Health hospital in Clayton
A Johnston County deputy fatally shot a man who tried to take his gun Monday morning outside the UNC Health Johnston hospital in Clayton, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The deputy was trying to leave the hospital parking lot in his patrol car at 5:46 a.m. when the man confronted him, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
“During the encounter, the suspect attempted to gain control of the deputy’s firearm,” the release stated. “A struggle ensued into the parking lot where the deputy was able to regain control of his firearm, and shots were fired resulting in the death of the suspect.”
On Wednesday, the State Bureau of Investigation identified the man killed as 24-year-old Jose Luis Rincon Lopes and the deputy as 32-year-old Jonathan Lee.
Lee has worked for the Sheriff’s Office since 2018, according to the office.
The Sheriff’s Office has not said why the deputy was at the hospital Monday morning or provided any other information about the deadly encounter.
Alan Wolf, director of news and media relations for UNC Health, said he did not know why the deputy was there but that, in general, deputies sometimes are escorting people in custody or patients. No hospital employees were injured in the incident, he said.
No body camera: The Sheriff’s Office does not have body-worn or in-car cameras, spokesman Maj. Jeff Caldwell told The News & Observer by email Monday.
Local law enforcement agencies that do have cameras sometimes ask a judge for permission to release footage to show what happened in shooting incidents.
What will happen next
Sheriff Steve Bizzell and Johnston County District Attorney Susan Doyle have asked the State Bureau of Investigation to investigate the incident, which is normal procedure when an officer shoots someone. The SBI typically reports its findings to the local district attorney.
Lee, the deputy involved in Monday’s shooting, has been placed on administrative leave with pay, which is also typical after such incidents.
About UNC Health Johnston
UNC Health opened the Clayton hospital in 2009 and expanded it in 2015 to serve the growing Clayton area.
The 50-bed hospital has over 300 physicians and over 2,000 employees at its Clayton and Smithfield hospitals.
This story was originally published June 10, 2024 at 7:44 AM.