13-year-old charged with killing grandmother shot dead during arrest attempt in Hoke Co.: Sheriff

RAEFORD, N.C. (WTVD) -- A 13-year-old boy, charged with first-degree murder in the death of his grandmother in Hoke County, was shot and killed, according to authorities.

Around 9:20 a.m., the Hoke County Sheriff's Office responded to a well-being check on Thursday at a home on Pearce Place in Raeford. A second 911 caller reported finding an unresponsive woman, identified as Connie Linen, 68, inside the home. She was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS, the sheriff's office said.

During the investigation, detectives identified her 13-year-old grandson as the suspect. The Hoke County District Attorney's Office charged him with first-degree murder through secured-custody paperwork as multiple agencies looked for him.

Deborah Decker lives a few doors down and says her street was blocked off by law enforcement all day.

"Police cars all lit up and a bunch of the cars and they had the yellow tape all the way around the house going across the street and nobody was allowed to leave or come," she said.

Bailey Arndt just moved in a few months ago and says finding out what happened Thursday was a shock.

"It's so cliche to say that, but you don't expect to see it on your own street," she said. "I just pray for them that they find peace and find a way to cope with all of this."

The Lee County Sheriff's Office says deputies found the teen inside a stolen car, which belonged to his grandmother, behind an abandoned mobile home on Black Road in Cameron. The suspect then ran on foot across the street and into a wooded area.

During the pursuit, deputies say the 13-year-old allegedly charged toward a deputy with a piece of 2x4 lumber from a yard of a nearby home. The deputy then shot his weapon, hitting the suspect.

The teen died at the scene, LCSO confirmed.

Clifford Covill lives across the street from Linen and describes her as a friendly, nice woman.

He said her grandchildren were always well-mannered, respectful kids.

"Everybody seemed pretty happy. I can't even imagine how this happened truthfully," he said. "I never once saw any of the kids angry about anything. They just seemed like happy, normal kids."

Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil said in a statement obtained by ABC11 News: "This has been a tragic and emotional situation for everyone involved. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Ms. Linen, as well as the family of the juvenile. We ask that our community come together with compassion and understanding as we all process this difficult event."

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is conducting a separate investigation into the shooting of the 13-year-old, which is standard protocol in all officer-involved shootings.

This comes as a manhunt is underway in Eastern North Carolina for a 24-year-old accused of killing his grandmother and setting her house on fire.

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