| November 20, 2006 |
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| Deputy Shoots Hildebran
Man |
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| A Burke County deputy
shot a Hildebran man Monday night, after the man allegedly ran toward the
deputy while brandishing a large knife. |
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| Michael David Justice,
33, of 208 Highway 70 East, was transported by Burke County EMS to Frye
Regional Hospital in Hickory, where his condition is listed as stable after
being shot one time in the chest. |
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| The name of the deputy
has not been released by the Sheriff's Office pending investigation by the
North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. |
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| According to Burke
County Sheriff John T. McDevitt, who was on the scene, Justice had made
comments to his family earlier today that he was going to kill himself. |
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| Officers were dispatched
to the mobile home park around 7:11 PM tonight after receiving a call that
Justice was trying to enter his father's residence. |
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| McDevitt said Justice
left his father's home and returned to his own trailer. When the deputy and a
Longview Police officer arrived, the father took them to Michael Justice's
trailer, which is a short walk away. |
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| The deputy reportedly
went to the front of the mobile home with the father, while the Longview
officer watched the rear door of residence. |
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| "Michael Justice
suddenly ran out of the front door of the trailer, and my deputy pushed the
father out of the way," McDevitt said. "The deputy was forced to fire his
weapon at point-blank range when he saw Justice running toward him with a
knife." |
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| McDevitt said the case
is looking more and more like a 'suicide by cop' incident, especially since the
man had made earlier threats of suicide. |
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| "Suicide by cop is an
unwanted trend which is increasing across the nation, and it looks as if it may
have made it's way into Burke County," stated the Sheriff. |
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| Sheriff's Office records
show Justice has had numerous warrants issued against him in the past for
misdemeanor worthless check charges. He was also involved in a Hickory traffic
accident on Saturday. |
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| The State Bureau of
Investigation will continue to investigate the incident, which is standard
procedure for the Sheriff's Office in an officer-related shooting. McDevitt
said the deputy will be placed on administrative duties pending the conclusion
of the investigation. |
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| Justice will be facing
charges of assault on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon,
investigators said. |
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