CLAYTON – The NC State Bureau of Investigation has released the names of those involved in a fatal officer-involved shooting in the parking lot at UNC Health Johnston in Clayton.
At 5:46am Monday, authorities said Deputy Jonathan Lee, age 32, was in his marked patrol car leaving the hospital parking lot when he was confronted by an unknown male, later identified as Jose Luis Rincon Lopez, age 24.
During the encounter, Lopez reportedly tried to gain control of Deputy Lee’s firearm. A struggle ensued in the parking lot where the deputy was able to regain control of his firearm, and shots were fired resulting in the death of Lopez.
Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell and District Attorney Susan Doyle requested the NC SBI investigate the incident, as is normal protocol in an officer-involved shooting.
In a press release, the SBI said the investigation remains ongoing and no additional information is available at this time.
Deputy Lee remains on administrative leave with pay.
His paid leave should be a reward for handling this situation without more people being injured. It goes without saying that if you are trying to take an officers weapon, there’s a good chance that you will get shot. My question is who was this man trying to get? I guess we won’t know and I doubt that friends or family will say.
Jan our newcomers like this victim that have and are coming across our southern border probaly felt threaten by this white officer and was unable to translate what this white officer was saying and from the third world country he came from, he probaly felt he knew he had to act. These people are not just coming for the goverment freebies but to escape this kind of strong arm judge and jury endings. Folks please support our President Biden this election and lets get enough of our newcomers registered to vote so the Democrat Party is a one Party System here in our country so we never have to worry about winning enough of votes again!!! VOTE BLUE UNTIL THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS THROUGH!!! Laughing all the way to the seclueded voting drop boxes with boxes of just found Democrat ballots!!!
He should have stayed home.
He should be off work permanently for violating that man’s second amendment right.
You are joking right? The deceased did not have a right under the second amendment to have the officers weapon! That’s the worst interpretation of that amendment I have ever seen.
Im right I have to sY HOW WRONG YOU ARE! So what was the Deputy supposed to do, let himself or others get shot? You have no brains for saying what you did. 2nd amendment, you are a SHMUCK!
1. He had a right to have the gun based on the Second Amendment.
2. Where are the JCSD body cams? Where’s the footage of the incident?
I’m sorry, can you please point out the part of the second amendment that says you have the right to take a gun (that doesn’t belong to you) away from someone else?
1. It is a felony to steal items from another person using force.
2. It is an additional felony to steal a firearm.
3. JCSO.
4. You’re wrong.
He absolutely did not have a right to take the gun from the officer. You’re insane if you actually believe that.
JCSO can release the camera footage should they deem it necessary.
I know you are joking because nobody could be as stupid to say that. If you were walking down the street with a gun on your side and a guy tries to take it, would you hand it over for his 2nd amendment? I’m sure the hospital has cameras and I’m sorry he only shot 4 times. Why don’t you try to take another deputy’s gun, see if they hand it over to you. You are either a criminal or you weren’t born here and don’t know how we handle things.
So you are advocating that someone has the right to walk up and try to steal a firearm from someone? Or did I misinterpret what you wrote about the 2nd Amendment? The man did not walk up with his own firearm he tried taking the deputies firearm. And JSCO doesn’t wear body cameras, they are not required by law to wear them.
@ImRight: The NC General Assembly made sure you’ll never see the footage. Be sure to thank Berger and Moore. #VoteOutIncumbents
Are you saying the man that died had the right to have the officers gun???? The article says he tried to take the officers gun. Maybe I misunderstood what you said
Wow, nice haul on that troll.
Hopefully we will learn what Lopez said or did.
You are one more sick person! Where does it say he had a right to have the gun based on the Second Amendment. You make it sound like the Deputy was just supposed to turn his gun over to this guy. Where the hell are you from? You need to go back to that country. Is it N. Koria??????
imright, I hope your being sarcastic. The evil POS was trying to take the deputies gun from him to do god knows what…. He needed to be neutralized.
Unfortunate incident but glad with the outcome. Based on this article, it appears the Deputy was well within his rights to protect himself & others when the assailant was trying to take the officers weapon.
There has to be more to this story ! Something is definitely missing 🤷🏽♀️
So grateful for the quick response and safety of the deputy. PTL the criminal is the one that went down, and NOT the officer!
Continued prayers for all law officers. No telling how many innocent lives were spared that morning because of the actions of the officer. Thank you, deputy for keeping us safe!
🙏❤️🙏
The 2nd amendment does not give the man the right to steal a gun from a Deputy Sheriff or anyone else.
Imright hopefully you’re being sarcastic. The video is on the hospital security tape. Everything’s being recorded these days body cams just help officers who get complained on for no reason by lying criminals. This worthless pos was attempting to steal the officers gun to do his knows what . Thankfully the officer was able to neutralize the threat protecting citizens…
A big Amen to that. Everyone is now safe thank to the Deputies actions and that bum that tried to take the Deputys gun will never bother anyone again.
The idiot tried to take the deputy’s gun from him! The man was trying to get the officer’s gun and lost the struggle! The deputy was defending his life! Can’t you read?
The idiot was trying to take the deputy’s weapon and lost the struggle! He got what he deserved! The deputy was fighting for his own life! Can’t you read?
Sorry, ImRight but you’re wrong; no one’s Second Amendment right was violated here. There is no evidence provided that Lopez had a gun of his own or that he had a right to have one. The attempt by Lopez to gain control of the deputy’s weapon resulted in his death due to the deputy doing his job – he maintained control of his weapon and ended a threat to his and the public’s safety. Good job and thanks for your service, Deputy Lee.
The article on WRAL was edited multiple times before saying that Lopez went for his firearm. It was first reported that he went for his taser…Also heard from a woman who was there on scene that Lopez was waiting for his mom. Idk..it doesn’t add up and why the multiple edits?
All Deputies should have body cameras not to just rely on the hospital security footage. Body cameras protect the public and law enforcement officers. The JCSO has a huge budget they can afford body cameras. I hope all the ridiculous comments about the 2nd amendment and the suspect being afraid of a white officer were sarcasm. I can’t imagine people are still that stupid, but then again people did vote for joe biden.
Multiple edits from WRAL indicate that they tried too soon to scoop other “news” outlets and printed the first thing they heard. Then they had to correct it. It’s pretty common.
If he is not a US citizen, he has NO second amendment right. That apply to US citizens
Well that escalated quickly.
Trump 2024
I read an article on FB that the person who was shot was running from justice from Playa Vicente. It stated he was a fundamental part of a criminal group who killed, raped, and kidnapped individuals for crime bosses in Mexico. Search his name on FB, scroll down until you see a picture of him with a gun in the waist of his pants. Whoever wrote the information was not a fan of his. I’m thankful the officer was not injured or any bystanders!
Bridgett, because WRAL along with a lot of other media sources, will publish incorrect information just to get a story out fast than other sources. That is what I like about JOCO Report. They wait a bit until they have more factual information.
It’s crazy that people always comment saying that they heard something from “someone who was there.” In a situation like this, you can guarantee that the person who was there either didn’t actually see what happened or weren’t really there. It happens all the time. I was at an incident involving an officer one day and what was stated by a “witness” never happened. The “witness” wasn’t even in the area. They came up after.
For every action there is a reaction. Just remember for all the name calling and trash throwing we all still have to stand before our maker and answer for our own sins. Just as the one shot and the one doing the shooting will do.
I lived in Mexico on a job assignment for a year. Never once did it cross my mind to confront a Federale and try and steal their guns.
While I’m sure the deceased was a “good boy” (cough) actions have consequences.