Officer involved shooting in Lenoir – Updated

Case Update:

LENOIR, NC (August 31, 2021) — The subject in the August 30, 2021 officer-involved shooting incident has been identified as Joshua Alan Kirby, DOB: 12/15/1995. He is currently listed in critical condition at CMC Main Hospital.

The members of the Lenoir Police Department who fired their weapons during the incident
include:

* Patrol Sergeant James Moore, hired in 1994

* Detective Landon Annas, hired in 2014

* Detective Zachary Wickline, hired in 2015

All three members of the department will remain on administrative leave/assignment pending the outcome of the investigation. This is standard procedure following an officer-involved shooting.

All further questions regarding the criminal investigation should be directed to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

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LENOIR, NC (August 30, 2021) — The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) is conducting a Lenoir Police Department officer-involved shooting investigation that occurred in the 2100 block of Morganton Boulevard.

On Monday, August 30, 2021, at approximately 12:40 p.m., Lenoir Police received a 9-1-1 call for service concerning an armed subject in the 2100 block of Morganton Boulevard. Two undercover officers and one uniformed patrol officer arrived on the scene and attempted to engage with the armed subject.

During the course of the event, the responding officers interpreted the actions of the armed subject as an imminent threat and attempted to stop the threat by discharging their firearms, striking the subject. Officers immediately administered first aid to the subject, who was airlifted to CMC Main with life threatening injuries. The gun that the subject possessed was recovered on the scene.

One of the undercover officers sustained a graze wound during the incident. The officer was transported to Caldwell Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and has since been released.

Additional information gathered following the incident revealed that the subject had previously stolen a vehicle approximately an hour earlier from a parking lot in the 1900 block of Harper Avenue.

The names of the officers and subject’s identity will be released following appropriate family notifications.

The SBI is the primary investigative agency for this investigation. The Lenoir Police Department’s Professional Standards Team will conduct a separate but parallel investigation to determine whether the officers followed department policies and procedures during the incident. The officers have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. This is standard procedure whenever officers discharge their service weapons.

The investigation into this case is active and ongoing. Any questions concerning the shooting investigation should be directed to the State Bureau of Investigation.

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