SBI Investigating Weekend Officer Shooting In Mooresville

MOORESVILLE, NC — The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has launched a probe into an officer shooting in Mooresville over the weekend after a man was shot by law enforcement responding to a domestic disturbance call. Peter Scott Hay was shot by Iredell Deputy Joanna Smith Saturday evening and later arrested after the suspect, who was intoxicated and armed with a handgun, pointed the weapon at the officer, according to a report from the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.

The SBI investigation is standard procedure in officer involved shootings and will run parallel to an internal investigation to be conducted by ICSO. Smith, who has been an officer for eight years, was placed on administrative leave, which is also standard procedure, Sheriff Darren Campbell said in a statement.

Smith had responded to a call regarding a domestic dispute between a father and son in a home located at 120 Tall Oaks Drive, and said she could hear screaming from inside the home as she approached the front door, the report said. She announced her presence and identified herself as a sheriff’s deputy as she held a flashlight.

“As the suspect approached the door Deputy Smith continued giving verbal commands for him to drop the gun, which he refused to do,” the ICSO report said. “When the suspect came to the front door he opened it and raised the gun up, and pointed it at Deputy Smith.”

Smith fired her weapon, striking Hay and inflicing a non-life threatening injury. She then provided medical aid until paramedics arrived and transported him to Carolinas Medical Center.

Hay “was extremely intoxicated,” according to the ICSO report.

Upon his release, Hay was arrested on charges of felony assault with a firearm on a law enforcement officer, and misdemeanor communicating threats. His bond was set at $150,000.

“In this case it appears the deputy responded appropriately to the threat of deadly force she faced, and did everything possible to protect herself and the victim who called us for help,” Campbell said. “While Deputy Smith was rendering medical aid to the suspect a witness heard him stating ‘I should have just shot her,’” he said.

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Photo courtesy of Iredell County Sheriff’s Office