A 13-year-old North Carolina boy, wanted for the alleged murder of his grandmother, was fatally shot by a Lee County sheriff's deputy on October 30, 2025, after charging at the officer with a piece of lumber during a foot chase. The incident, which has left communities reeling, began with a routine well-being check at the home of 68-year-old Connie Linen in Raeford, about 90 miles southwest of Raleigh. Deputies discovered Linen deceased, ruled a homicide, though details of her death remain undisclosed by the Hoke County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators quickly identified the teen as the prime suspect, filing charges of first-degree murder. As authorities mobilized, Lee County deputies located the 5-foot-11, 150-pound boy hiding behind an abandoned mobile home in nearby Cameron. When approached, the teen fled on foot, grabbing a two-by-four from a yard during the pursuit. According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, he then turned and lunged at the deputy, prompting the officer to open fire in self-defense.
The shooting, captured in a chaotic sequence amid the chase, has sparked immediate scrutiny. The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) will conduct a standard review of the deputy's actions, examining body camera footage and witness statements. Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil described the events as a "tragic and emotional situation", urging compassion: “We ask our community to come together with understanding as we process this difficult event.”
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Lee County Sheriff Brian Estes and SBI officials have not released the deputy's name or further details, citing the ongoing probe. The teen's family has yet to comment, but neighbors in Raeford — a quiet rural enclave — expressed shock at the violence shattering their community. As the investigation unfolds, this heartbreaking saga raises urgent questions about youth mental health, family crises, and law enforcement's split-second decisions.
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