1 man shot and killed, 3 Franklin County sheriff’s deputies wounded after chase

An attempted traffic stop early Monday in rural Franklin County led to a high-speed chase and ended in one man dead and three sheriff’s deputies hospitalized.

Sheriff Jim Raymond confirmed it was a deputy-involved shooting, but has released few other details.

The man reportedly was shot several times after refusing to stop his car and trying to hit deputies. It is not clear if he was hit while still inside it.

Deputies were called about 3 a.m. for a suspected prowler near Sagehill and Hollingsworth roads, northwest of Basin City.

While responding to that call, deputies tried to stop a fleeing car that may have been connected to the incident, Raymond said in a news release.

“The attempted stopping of the vehicle has culminated in deputies being involved in a shooting with the occupant of this vehicle,” according to the news release.

Emergency dispatch traffic shows the man was failing to stop and “trying to brake check” patrol cars as the chase reached speeds of 80 mph on Sagehill.

“He’s driving recklessly. He pretty much slowed down to highway speed,” one deputy said during the incident, according to streaming audio of the response on Broadcastify. “He’s stopping in the road now at this point.”

A deputy relayed that the suspect vehicle tried to hit his patrol car.

“Be advised he’s trying to hit us at this point,” a deputy told dispatchers.

“Shots fired. Suspect been hit. He still is continuing northbound,” said a deputy.

The chase ended south of Rangeview Road and Sagehill, with deputies saying “suspect down” and paramedics needed.

“One detained. He has got multiple gunshot wounds,” deputies said, adding they didn’t believe there were any other people in the car.

The Tri-City Special Investigations Unit has been called in to handle the investigation, independent of the sheriff’s office’s internal investigation.

Raymond described the incident as “sketchy” at this point while SIU investigators begin to gather facts

He did not release the identity or any information about the person who died.

It has not been disclosed if that person fired at deputies during the attempted traffic stop, or how the deputies were wounded, though emergency dispatch reports indicate the driver was trying to hit the deputies with his car.

The three deputies were taken to Tri-Cities hospitals to be treated. None of them have life-threatening injuries, said Raymond.

He did not say how many of them shot at the driver, or if they will be placed on administrative leave as is standard protocol after an officer-involved shooting.

Raymond said more information will be released Monday afternoon.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates..

This story was originally published November 18, 2019 at 9:33 AM with the headline "1 man shot and killed, 3 Franklin County sheriff’s deputies wounded after chase."