Woman shot and killed by Durham County deputy identified

BAHAMA, N.C. (WTVD) -- The woman shot and killed by a Durham County deputy on Tuesday afternoon is 28-year-old Stephanie Wilson, the sheriff's office said late Wednesday afternoon.

ABC11 spoke with Wilson's sister and a friend on Wednesday, who said they are upset and need a moment to process what happened before speaking publicly.

Neighbors are also grieving.

"It was terrible," said Cindy Cayton.

She still can't believe the woman living next door was shot by deputies -- and she didn't even hear it.

But she told ABC11 that she saw the aftermath.

"Deputies were everywhere. We saw them in the bushes, we saw them on the ground," said Cayton, who has lived in the neighborhood for more than a decade. "I knew that there was probably a fatality when they started putting the crime tape up. And that was just very, very heartbreaking."

Cayton said the ordeal scared her. Yellow tape surrounded her property, too.

On Wednesday, there was no sign left of a crime scene.

"It's sad. I'm sorry that it happened. I do not know the circumstances. I didn't know her either. It's just a sad situation on both sides," said Cayton.

The shooting happened outside the home in the 400 block of John Jones Road in Bahama, a normally quiet area in northern Durham County.

On Tuesday afternoon, deputies responded to a disturbance call at the home.

When they arrived, law enforcement said they saw Wilson armed with a shotgun and aiming the weapon at them multiple times.

The sheriff said attempts were made to get Wilson to drop the gun.

During the encounter, Wilson was shot and killed.

The State Bureau of Investigation is looking into what led up to the shooting.

The incident rattled the small rural neighborhood.

"Never in my life. I hope I never have to see it again," said Cayton.

The deputy involved is on administrative leave, which is standard policy.

The deputy's name has not been released.