NC state trooper involved in deadly shooting while investigating crash

ALBEMARLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A North Carolina State Highway (NCSHP) trooper was involved in a deadly shooting after he stopped to respond to a crash early Thursday in Stanly County.

It happened just after 1:45 a.m. when the trooper responded to a crash involving a vehicle in a ditch on NC 73 near Lowell Road in Albemarle. The trooper noticed that the driver believed to be involved in the crash had a firearm in his waistband.

The trooper, Micheal R. McCormick, called for assistance and a Stanly County sheriff's deputy responded. When the two law officers attempted to take the driver into custody, the man ran from the crash scene and fired multiple gunshots at the authorities. The law officers returned fire, striking the man.

Despite life-saving efforts, the man was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical responders.

Neither McCormick nor the deputy was injured.

Authorities identified Ghassan Radwan Baba, 22, of Albemarle, as the man who was killed.

As is standard protocol, McCormick, a four-year veteran of the Highway Patrol, was placed on administrative duty pending an internal investigation. The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has been asked to conduct an independent investigation.

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