Shots fly over investigating deputies
Last Wednesday, rumors spread rapidly that a school shooter had been seen at Penland School of Craft. Mitchell County Sheriff Donald Street released a statement that same day saying that no one had been injured and that officers were interviewing everyone involved.
By Thursday, Street was able to clarify that the shots reported were from target practice, and that person in question had permission to shoot on the property and had done so regularly in the past.
“On Wednesday, April 30, Mitchell County officers responded to a report of an active shooter from a foreman of a river cleanup crew in the area of Clinchfield Drive in the Penland community,” Street said in a release.
“Two members of his crew were operating heavy equipment in the river when they started hearing gunfire. They took cover behind their equipment.”
The two workers were interviewed by officers separately.
“In separate interviews, both individuals stated that they were concerned for their safety and had seen a round hit a rock close to where they were taking cover,” Street continued. “Three of my officers and the foreman started down to where the workers were taking cover, and as they were doing so, they started hearing gunfire whizzing over their heads.”
As it happens, a North Carolina State Patrol helicopter was in Mitchell County that day doing search and rescue training. The pilot was able to locate the shooter and follow him as he left the property; he was stopped by officers near Penland Carwash.
“The gentleman was very cooperative,” Street said. “After interviewing all parties involved at the sheriff’s office, it was determined that the individual shooting was target practicing, something that he had done many times on a friend’s land. He was not aware, and we do not feel he knew about the individuals in the area where he was shooting.”
The release noted that the shooter was aiming at a target 500 yards away, and the work crew happened to be just 100 yards beyond that point.
“This was an unfortunate event that occurred, and thank God no one was hurt,” Street said. “No charges will be filed against the individual.”
In a separate release, Mitchell County Manager Allen Cook praised the officers involved.
“The Mitchell County Special Response Team did an excellent job and responded in quick fashion,” Cook said. “They secured the scene and evacuated the waterway work crew.”
Cook also said that there is no reason to believe the shooter had any intention of harming anyone.
“The individual was not acting with bad intent,” Cook said. “He was target practicing in an area that he had secured permission and used on many occasions. The person is a local citizen in good standing and was very cooperative with law enforcement.”