LUMBERTON, N.C. (WNCN) — Two Robeson County deputies were repeatedly shot and one was backed over with a patrol car on Tuesday morning while serving warrants to a murder suspect out on a pretrial release.
On Thursday evening, one of those deputies, Kailen Locklear, was given a hero’s welcome home by fellow sheriff’s office personnel.
In a post by Sheriff Burnis Wilkins, he said, “A Robeson County hero returns home” with a video showing at least a dozen law enforcement vehicles lining the street.
In the latest update from the sheriff’s office Thursday, Deputy Jonathan Walters remained in the ICU at Cape Fear Medical Center for and observational purposes and is expected to make a full recovery.
Earlier in the week, CBS 17 covered the details of the shooting in which 20-year-old murder suspect Shawn Tobin Locklear Jr. was being served warrants while out on a pretrial release. Serving the warrants prompted Locklear Jr. to flee into the woods before opening fire, striking deputies Locklear and Walters and backing over deputy Walters with a patrol car.
In his first press conference update on the shooting, Sheriff Wilkins expressed his frustrations with the events that had taken place and also called out the judicial system, saying he could “make room for a murder suspect.” The following day there was a response from Chief District Court Judge Angelica McIntyre and comments from neighbors who witnessed the mayhem.
