Defendant shot by officer at Person County Courthouse after attacking people inside courtroom dies

Friday, September 10, 2021
Suspect in shooting at Person County Courthouse dies
The suspect in a shooting at the Person County Courthouse on Thursday has died from his injuries.

ROXBORO, N.C. (WTVD) -- The suspect in a shooting at the Person County Courthouse on Thursday has died from his injuries.

Friday morning, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation announced that Christopher Thomas Vaughan had died at Duke University Hospital.

The Person County Sheriff's Office and Roxboro Police Department said the shooting happened during a trial.

Officials said the defendant on trial, later identified as Vaughan, tried to attack people inside the courtroom, including the bailiff.

According to the SBI, an officer from the Roxboro Police Department then fired his weapon, hitting Vaughan.

Two officers received injuries and were treated and released.

The Roxboro officer has a broken hand. The bailiff has a laceration to his head and scratches on his neck, the SBI said.

The courthouse was closed for the rest of the day.

District Attorney Mike Waters also said that no employees of the DA's office were injured.

However, because people who work for the district attorney's office were in the courtroom when the shooting happened, Waters said Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman will be investigating the incident along with the State Bureau of Investigation.

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