TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY, N.C. (FOX Carolina) – Transylvania County deputies caught one suspect after exchanges of gunfire with both deputies and homeowners, but two suspects still remain at large.
***Update 11:55 p.m. = Both of the remaining suspects are in now in custody. The investigation is still on-going. Further updates with a list of criminal charges with suspects’ names will be forthcoming soon. But for now, the search area is now secure, as all three suspects are currently in custody at this time.***
***URGENT: On Sunday, November 29, 2020, in the early afternoon hours, a homeowner in the Jeter Mountain area of Transylvania County returned to his residence to find a suspicious vehicle backed up to a storage building. The male homeowner confronted the vehicle occupants and a confrontation ensued. This confrontation turned violent when at least one of the suspects displayed a weapon. The homeowner’s spouse then exited the vehicle and exchanged gunfire with the suspects. Neither the suspects nor the homeowners were struck or injured in the exchange. The suspects then fled in their vehicle, and the homeowners called 911.
Upon fleeing the scene, the suspects were intercepted by a Transylvania County Patrol Deputy, and a vehicle pursuit ensued. At one point, the TCSO Deputy and the suspects exchanged gunfire, and the pursuit continued. Shortly thereafter, the suspects crashed their vehicle and fled on foot. There are a total of three known suspects, and one of the suspects is in custody at the writing of this press release.
The two suspects still at large are described as a white male in his late 30’s with a thin build, dark hair and a dark beard, hazel eyes, approximately 6’6’’ tall and 185 lbs., wearing a camouflage jacket and blue jeans; the other suspect is a Hispanic male in his late 20’s, with brown eyes and black hair, approximately 5’7’’ and 165 lbs., wearing a black Columbia jacket and blue jeans.
These suspects are to be considered armed and dangerous. If anyone has any information or sees and/or hears any suspicious activity, please call 911.
This is a joint operation conducted by the Transylvania County and Henderson County Sheriffs’ Offices. They are being assisted by several emergency services agencies in both counties. The search is currently concentrated in the Crab Creek and Jeter Mountain Areas along the Transylvania and Henderson County lines/borders.
Captain Jeremy Queen
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Transylvania Co. Sheriff’s Office
