One deputy dead, two wounded by gunfire inside North Carolina home, officials say

UPDATE: The two wounded Wayne County deputies have been released from the hospital and are recovering at home, Wayne County officials reported Aug. 3. The original story is below:

One sheriff’s deputy is dead and two others remain hospitalized after they were shot inside a North Carolina home, according to the Wayne County government officials.

The death of Sgt. Matthew Fishman, 38, was announced Tuesday, Aug. 2, in a Facebook post.

The other two deputies remain in stable condition, according to a news release.

Investigators say the shootings happened Monday, Aug. 1, when deputies responded to a home on Arrington Bridge Road in the Dudley community. Dudley is about 60 miles southeast of Raleigh.

Three deputies arrived at the home around 10:30 a.m. to serve an involuntary commitment order when the man inside responded by shooting at the deputies, Wayne County officials said at a news conference shared by WITN.

“The gunfire was pretty instantaneous,” Wayne County Public Information Officer Joel Gilley said at the news conference.

The suspect, identified as 23-year-old Jourdan Hamilton, then barricaded himself in the home, officials said.

A SWAT team entered the residence about 8 p.m. and found Hamilton dead from “an apparent fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound,” officials said. An autopsy is to be performed on Hamilton, Gilley said.

Wayne County officials told The Associated Press “deputies had no reason to believe the suspect was dangerous” when they first entered the home.

Fishman, 38, had been listed critical condition prior to his death.

The two wounded deputies have been identified as Deputy Alexander Ramon Torres, 27, and Cpl. Andrew Cox, 37.

On Tuesday, N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper ordered all U.S. and North Carolina flags at state facilities to half-staff in honor of Fishman.

“I extend my deepest sympathy and gratitude to the Fishman family for Matthew’s life, courage and service to the people of his county and state,” Cooper said in a news release.

This story was originally published August 2, 2022 at 8:48 AM with the headline "One deputy dead, two wounded by gunfire inside North Carolina home, officials say."