SHELBY, N.C. – The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is investigating an officer-involved shooting that took place in Shelby during a traffic stop Friday.
The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. on South Washington Street near Belmont Place in Shelby.
Officials say a deputy pulled over Richie Lee Petty after not stopping at a stop sign.
Deputies asked Petty for consent to search his vehicle, and he refused, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office. Deputies were attempting to contact supervisors when Petty ran to his car and dove through his driver-side window to grab a black object.
Petty assaulted one officer who tried to detain him, according to the sheriff’s office. The other deputy thought the black object in Petty’s hand was a weapon. The deputy fired one shot that hit Petty.
Petty ran from the scene and threw the black bag into the woods. It was later recovered by authorities. It was then determined to be a small black bag carrying 13 small bags of marijuana and 54 rocks of crack cocaine.
Petty was captured and was transported to Cleveland Regional Medical Center. He was into surgery for treatment of the gunshot wound.
He said Petty was on federal probation stemming from previous charges.
Both deputies are ok. One has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
