SMITHFIELD – The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office announced this morning (Friday) a deputy sheriff has been fired and is now under investigation by the NC State Bureau of Investigation.
Deputy Christopher Adcock was assisting the State Highway Patrol with the pursuit of a stolen vehicle on Monday, September 25th around 12:30am.
The chase turned into a field near the 400 block of Fellowship Church Road, near Princeton. The marked patrol car being driven by Deputy Adcock was struck by the fleeing stolen motor vehicle.
Deputy Adcock reportedly discharged his service weapon several times after his patrol car was struck. No one was hit as a result of the firearm being discharged. The driver of the stolen car fled on foot and at last report had not been located or charged.
Deputy Adcock was placed on administrative leave with pay pending the completion of an internal investigation.
Friday morning, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office sent out a Press Release confirming the conclusion of the internal investigation and the termination of Deputy Adcock.
The press release stated Sheriff Steve Bizzell conferred with the Johnston County District Attorney’s Office, and the District Attorney has requested that the NC State Bureau of Investigation conduct a criminal investigation regarding the incident.
Johnston County Report obtained a copy of the Termination Letter under the NC Public Records Law. The letter, from Sheriff Bizzell to Deputy Adcock, stated the officer violated policies and procedures when he discharged his service weapon.
“When the pursuit ended and the suspects exited the vehicle, and without any additional threat to your safety, you discharged your agency issued firearm in an attempt to shoot an apparently unarmed fleeing person, who was not attempting to use physical or deadly force to effect escape,” the Sheriff wrote in the termination letter.
“Rather than following your training and the directives of the Sheriff’s Office to place your vehicle in a position so that you could approach the suspicious vehicle from a position in which you could identify the operator or the registration plate of the vehicle, and from a position of safety, or if you reasonably perceived that to be unachievable, to place your vehicle in a position that you could use your Sheriff’s Office vehicle for cover and use protection, without any shots fired, or even a threatening position taken by the suspects, or the use or apparent of a deadly weapon by the suspects, or by his conduct or any other means, an indication that the suspect or suspects indicated that he or they presented an imminent threat of death or serious physical injury to you or others, you did not attempt to apprehend without the use of deadly force. Instead, you simply fired your weapon from a seated position in your vehicle in the direction of the fleeing suspect, even though another law enforcement officer was pursuing them, and you likely could have struck the suspect or your fellow officer with the projectile.”
“After the initial discharge of your firearm, you fired (4) additional shots at the fleeing suspect who was not a threat to you before exiting your vehicle. You then failed to exercise due circumspection in viewing and analyzing the area and even in recognizing that one of the suspects was, in close proximity, attempting to surrender.”
“Your actions clearly demonstrate your failure to comply with the law and with the standards and goals I have set for the Office of Sheriff. You utterly failed to comply with the policies and training that I have established and directed. Your use of force was clearly excessive and dangerously wanton. Your conduct cannot be condoned in any matter,” Sheriff Bizzell wrote in the three-page termination letter.
“… I have concluded that your continued employment is not consistent with the goals and standards that I have established for this office. Based upon that review, I am terminating you from your position as Sheriff’s Deputy, effective immediately,” the Sheriff stated.
No additional information from the Sheriff’s Office will be released due to the ongoing investigation by the SBI.
Great leadership sheriff, to demand excellence from your subordinates , I only hope our other heads Johnston county government will emulate. Johnston county school board, Johnston county commissioner board ect..we have people serving in positions bbn of leadership who have been fired from their jobs and or have been charged for allegedly molestation of a child! Follow this example and remove yourselves from these roles. We should expect and elect people with traits of honor and respect for the law and respect for the community at large. We need to hold each other accountable, thanks again sheriff for holding true to your principles. Sfc Mervin Jones USA retired.
Mr. Melvin D Jones isn’t it wonderful to see our Johnston County Sheriff Office and DA Office starting to virtue signaling their true progressive liberal leaning and actually starting to use that Washington DC D.O.J. Playbook? We all know they just can’t just come out of the closet like some of those on the school board did, but just talking about and promoting the prosecution of this Johnston County deputy that didn’t shoot anyone that actually really exists is as pro-George Soros politics as it gets along with defunding the support for our Johnston County deputies?
Folks if the civil rights lawer Ben Crump that collects $100’s of millions of dollars for officers involved shooting showed up on the steps of the Johnston County Court House Monday morning and identified this poor victim along with announcing thier lawsuit of $500,000,000.00 for violating the civil rights of the now identified victim, we would deserve it would we not?
He fired five shots and hit nothing but air is reason enough to be fired!
No worries, I’m sure he’ll be hired by another agency. FBI and DOJ data shows that (over past 15 years), 91% of all LEOs who were terminated for violating policies were hired by other agencies within 30 days. #NoAcountability
Another Yikes for JoCo.
All I have to say is WoW. What Sheriff Bizzel said is very damning to the former deputy. This termination is warranted and justified. Not saying I wanted the deputy to be fired but you can’t go shooting at people who are running away and no longer a threat.
They teach this in the CCW class. You want to be charged and go to jail. Do what this now former deputy did.
Concerning the deputy who was in an active pursuit, putting their lives on the line to protect the public, it seems to me our Sheriff was not standing up for our deputy, what if the guy they were pursuing,who had ALREADY NOT RESPONDED TO THE COPS was totally out of line, but gets more rights, and one was never apprehended, what if he had gotten into someone’s house and hurt someone or held them hostage, I was listening to the pursuit, I think all the cops across thecountryshould quit their jobs and let the Sheriff go and do the footwork or the people who believe the cop is always in the wrong and has no middle recourse for the protection for their time invested or their future
The deputy was no longer in danger when the suspect was running AWAY from him. Much less firing FIVE shots as he continued to run AWAY.
clearly this offender rammed the police vehicle and thus indicated his intent to do harm to the officer. I would wish that an action like this would be a justified use of force. These criminals are only getting morr brazen as the “woke” culture permeates across this country. Shame on his being fired. There was a time when justice was served swiftly.
Police do not decide your punishment. The judge does. There will never be a good reason to shoot at an unarmed person. No matter how evil, everyone is subject to a fair trial in court…. assuming you care about the constitutional rights of American citizens…
Thank you Deputy Adcock for your service. At least you tried to protect us from the wanton disregard from the still at large suspect. I listened to all of this as it was happening on Broadcastify and I appreciate all theLEOs did chasing the criminal through the woods and the soybean fields. Please career politician Sheriff Bizzell retire in 2026.We are becoming paralyzed from fear of lawsuits and career office holders protecting their status .The unlawful and career criminal know this and if we are not vigilant do not be surprised when New York,Portland,Los Angeles and Philadelphia behavior is here.
To effect an arrest or to prevent the escape from custody of a person who he reasonably believes is attempting to escape by means of a deadly weapon, or who by his conduct or any other means indicates that he presents an imminent threat of death or serious physical injury to others unless apprehended without delay;
Ramming a police officer with a car is not a deadly weapon or an imminent threat? Escaping in that deadly weapon after using deadly force with it is justified according to statute. If he has no problem ramming a police car with a car he just stole, you think they would stop for the average citizen? Sheriff going to have a lawsuit. Odd he would attach a ten day response.
Couldn’t have said it any better! Some of us need to learn what we preach in this said to be Good’Ole Boy County
Well said! Deputy Adcock was trying to prevent the escape of someone who had already used deadly force on others. The only way to prevent crimes we are seeing in today’s society is when we start electing people in office who stands up for law abiding citizens, stop working the court system as a way to collect more money, start swift justice and stop all this continuation of trying a case that is two years old and keeping the courts backed up. Start the if you do the crime you do the time and quit slapping wrists.
On another note, I had the pleasure of meeting Deputy Adcock one time when my family was getting threatening calls that turned out to be a scammer trying to scam money. I appreciated him then and I certainly still appreciate him now! Thank you for your service Deputy Adcock!!
It is easy to sit behind a desk. Walk a mile in his shoes.
He should not have been fired. This deputy was away from his family, riding rhe roads after midnight protecting our community while we sleep safe, chasing someone in a STOLEN car, who is RUNNING from the cops. When you are a law abiding citizen you will not have any problems. This is crazy! Thankyku Deputy Adcock for your service. Him and other law enforcement officers can go work at a hundred other places making more money, with a better schedule. Our country needs to quit supporting the people committing crimes……
If he hadn’t been breaking the law, he wouldn’t have gotten shot at. These thugs keep stealing, buying, selling, and manufacturing drugs, fleeing to elude & God only knows what else & they get a slap on the hand and are released. They get out & most of them go right back for doing the same things. These officers put their lives on the line everyday to protect and serve. I think firing this officer was uncalled for. He shouldn’t have stolen a motor vehicle or fleeing to elude. He rammed the deputies car. If prison wasn’t so easy they might would think twice. They go there and get free room and board, medical, dental, and do nothing all day. This world is totally screwed.
I’m willing to bet this wasn’t said sheriffs deputy’s first strike….. just the nail in his coffin.