Sheriff: Davidson County deputies kill man who fired at them

Published 5:25 pm Monday, May 24, 2021

LEXINGTON (AP) — Davidson County deputies shot and killed an armed man who fired at them last weekend, the sheriff’s office said.

The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that deputies responding on Saturday to a report of multiple people exchanging gunfire were directed to the suspect, The Dispatch of Lexington reported Monday. The man, identified as Adam Hartley, was tracked to the backyard of a home on N.C. Highway 150. According to the sheriff’s office, the man had a firearm and what was termed “an edged weapon.”

The sheriff’s office said deputies gave commands for Hartley to drop his weapons and get on the ground, but he aimed the gun at the deputies and fired, the news release said. Deputies returned fire and hit Hartley, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies performed life-saving measures on Hartley until emergency personnel arrived, according to the news release. Hartley was taken by helicopter to a local hospital, where he died early Sunday morning.

No other injuries were reported. The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the shooting, which is standard in officer-involved shootings. The deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative duties, the sheriff’s office said.

Hartley was previous wanted by a Rowan County bail bondsman after escaping from custody. In February, he was arrested in Rowan County on Davidson County charges of felony death by vehicle.