Family member arrested after deadly shooting in Union County, deputies say

MINERAL SPRINGS, N.C. — A man allegedly killed a family member and severely hurt his wife Tuesday evening in the small Union County town of Mineral Springs, deputies say.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office said on Wednesday that 62-year-old Jeffery Lemmonds is accused of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder after a dispute between family members escalated into a shooting.

Deputies were called to a home on Forest Green Drive late Tuesday and found a man in the back of the home who had been shot. First responders tried giving medical aid to him but he died at the home, according to the sheriff’s office.

The victim was identified as 29-year-old Justin Starnes.

When deputies looked through the rest of the home, they found Lemmonds’ wife “suffering from a severe head injury.” It’s not clear if she was shot, but the sheriff’s office said ”multiple shots” were fired.

The sheriff’s office says Lemmonds drove away from the home before deputies arrived, but he was found at a home in Monroe. He was taken into custody and held without bond.

Union County Sheriff Eddie Cathey said the shooting “escalated to an unnecessary level when the suspect introduced a gun and fired multiple shots in a reckless manner in an effort to kill members of his own family.”

The sheriff’s office didn’t specify how Starnes is related to Lemmonds. No other details have been released at this time.

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