Mariel Williams
editor@mitchellnews.com
Three shooting victims were hospitalized after an attack in Yancey County last week.
The alleged shooter, Lucas Wilson Murphy, 36, was also shot by Yancey County sheriff’s deputies and taken into custody.
According to a release from the Yancey County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting happened in the Murphytown area of Green Mountain township. The victims reportedly were employees of Asplundh Tree Expert Co. who were clearing vegetation on behalf of an electric company on the right of way.
Murphy confronted the tree service workers. During the confrontation, Murphy allegedly shot the three workers. All three were seriously injured and were taken to the hospital.
When deputies arrived and attempted to arrest Murphy they encountered gunfire. Murphy was shot, injured and taken into custody, then also transported to the hospital.
District Attorney Seth Banks said that Murphy is currently charged with three counts of felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injury, one count of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, and four counts of assault with a deadly weapon on law enforcement officers.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation, at the request of both the Sheriff’s Office and the district attorney.
According to Banks, in 2021 Murphy was convicted of misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill after an attack on his brother. The original charge was felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill but the jury convicted him on the lesser charge.
He was sentenced to 150 days in custody at that time, the maximum penalty for the misdemeanor charge.
Yancey County Sheriff Shane Hilliard released a later statement offering the shooting victims his thoughts and prayers.
“I am so proud of my incredible deputies and dispatchers,” Hilliard said. “They did an awesome job responding and getting the situation under control quickly.”
Hilliard also thanked the paramedics, fire departments and out-of-county agencies that assisted with the emergency.
Information on Murphy’s alleged motives or the nature of the disagreement with the tree service workers is not available at this time.