Person County Sheriff Dewey Jones told ABC11 dispatchers received a hang-up phone call from an address in the 1300 block of Clay Long Road after 10 p.m.
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According to officials, when the responding deputy determined it was a domestic hostage situation at the home. Just before 10:30 p.m., the deputy called in that three people were being held hostage by a male suspect.
Seconds later, the sheriff said, the deputy called in that shots had been fired.
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Sheriff Jones said it's not clear if the man fired any shots at the deputy before the deputy fired, but the deputy did witness the man point a handgun at the hostages.
According to the sheriff, the deputy warned the man multiple times that he needed to put the weapon down.
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The man was hit at least one time, according to the sheriff. The deputy rendered aid and called EMS. The man was declared dead when EMS arrived on the scene.
At least one of the hostages had been "physically assaulted" by the man during the incident, officials said.
Sheriff Jones said the suspect had been served with domestic violence papers filed by a woman.
The deputy has been placed on administrative leave while the State Bureau of Investigation investigates the incident.