LUMBERTON, N.C. (WNCN) – Cody Clark and his girlfriend witnessed mayhem on Tuesday morning outside of their front door on Old Red Springs Road in Robeson County.

It’s where two Robeson County sheriff’s deputies, Jonathan Walters and Kaelin Locklear, suffered from gunshot wounds. The couple immediately raced outside to aid the wounded deputies.

“I went in the house to get a belt and a towel to wrap around his leg,” Clark said.

Shawn Locklear Jr., 20, is accused of shooting the deputies.

They said he led them on a chase after attempting to serve him an arrest warrant for cutting off his ankle monitor. One of the wounded deputies managed to shoot the suspect. Investigators said the suspect then used a deputy’s patrol car to run over one of the wounded deputies, crashed into another patrol car, and left the scene.

Officers said he hopped into another vehicle and was traveling towards Maxton. They believe he was trying to take himself to the hospital. Deputies were able to stop him a short time later.  

“I think it’s crazy that somebody who should have been in jail did that,” Clark’s girlfriend said.

Sheriff Burnis Wilkins expressed his frustration on the shooting during a news conference on Tuesday. He said Shawn Locklear was released from jail on a $250,000 earlier this year for a 2022 murder. Wilkins said if the judge didn’t release him, his deputies wouldn’t be in the hospital with injuries. 

“The pretrial people didn’t want this guy released on bond and a judge, and I will find out who it is, granted the pretrial release,” Sheriff Wilkins said.

The suspect was supposed to wear a gps ankle monitor while out on bond. Sheriff Wilkins said he cut the monitor off his ankle in September. Deputies were finally able to locate him on Tuesday.

Chief District Court Judge Angelica McIntyre released a statement following the Sheriff’s comments.

“I am allowed to confirm judicial proceedings which occurred, and proceedings in this case occurred in April 2023, where the defendant was given a $250,000 secured bond, in addition to house arrest through the pretrial release program. Another proceeding related to bond occurred in August 2023 before a different judge. Bonds are determined by many factors, including the evidence that is presented in court by the officers, witness cooperation, if a felony report has been provided to the District Attorney’s Office, and the particular facts of every case. 

I feel the public’s frustration and the Sheriff’s frustration at the crime problem in Robeson County.  My judicial record shows that I have set some of the highest bonds ever set in Robeson County based on the evidence before me. After the dates of these proceedings in this case, I am grateful that North Carolina law changed effective October 1, 2023, to allow district court judges additional authority to deny bond to violent and repeat offenders as well as those on pretrial release who commit a new offense.”

The two deputies are being treated at Cape Fear Medical Center in Fayetteville. They are expected to make full recoveries. Meanwhile, the suspect remains in the hospital in critical condition.