Deer causes traffic confusion during Thursday-morning rush

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Traffic in Uptown Charlotte came to a stop Thursday morning after a deer ran onto the John Belk Freeway.

Just after 8 a.m., the injured deer started making its way around the inner loop.

Police showed up to direct drivers. The deer ran into the bushes with Mecklenburg County Animal Control following. Then, the animal made its way into a parking lot.

"It's been an interesting morning at the tax office," Lisa Westmoreland with the Tax Assessor's Office said while laughing.

Westmoreland said she saw the event happen.

"Traffic was just stopped, and then we could just see the deer peeking its head over the concrete barrier," she said. "It just jumped over, and it came up into this area here. And then the police came over here, and then it ended up in the area over here in the grassy area, up against our windows."

Animal Control officers were able to shoot the deer with a tranquilizer, ending the traffic mess and getting people back to work.

"We're just thankful everyone was OK, and they took the time to stop the traffic and, you know, just lend a helping hand to a defenseless animal," Westmoreland said.

WSOC