ROWLAND, NC (WBTW) – A police chase in North Carolina led to a trooper-involved shooting early Friday morning, killing a murder suspect.
Sgt. Michael Baker with North Carolina Department of Public Safety says North Carolina Highway Patrol was asked around 7:15 a.m. to help the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office in the chase of a murder suspect out of South Carolina. The chase occurred on Interstate 95, north of Rowland, about six miles north of the South Carolina and North Carolina state line, Sgt. Baker adds.
North Carolina troopers made several attempts to stop the suspect’s car, and once the vehicle finally stopped, “an armed confrontation ensued, and the suspect died on the scene,” says Sgt. Baker.
Sgt. Baker says the troopers involved in the shooting are Trooper Douglas Strickland and Trooper Henry Locklear. Trooper Strickland is a nine year veteran assigned to Robeson County, and Trooper Locklear is a 12-year veteran assigned to Robeson County.
Marlboro County Sheriff Charles Lemon confirms the man killed by North Carolina state troopers was a murder suspect in a Marlboro County killing that happened on Adamsville Road early Friday morning. Sgt. Baker identified the deceased murder suspect as Jamake Cason Thomas, 22.
Friday afternoon, Marlboro County Coroner Tim Brown identified the murder victim from Adamsville Road as 42-year-old Tina Thomas. According to the coroner, she died from a gunshot wound.
The State Bureau of Investigation was requested to investigate, which is the protocol for trooper involved shootings. The two troopers involved will be placed on administrative duty, confirms Sgt. Baker, which is also protocol.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation reports I-95 south was closed near exit 7, Raynham Road near Lumberton due to police activity.