Suspect in critical condition identified after officer-involved shooting in Lenoir

LENOIR, N.C. — The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is investigating an officer-involved shooting Monday in Caldwell County.

According to police, officers received a 911 call around 12:40 p.m. saying a man was armed on Morganton Boulevard in Lenoir.

Patrol Sergeant James Moore, Detective Landon Annas and Detective Zachary Wickline responded to the scene and tried to de-escalate the situation, according to the Lenoir Police Department.

Police said during the interaction, the officers “interpreted the man’s actions as an imminent threat” and that’s when they opened fire, striking him. According to police, officers immediately administered first aid to the man, who was airlifted to a hospital in Charlotte with serious injuries.

The man was later identified as 25-year-old Joshua Alan Kirby. He is currently listed in critical condition at the hospital.

One of the officers was grazed by a bullet during the incident, according to police. That officer was taken to Caldwell Memorial Hospital with minor injuries and has since been released.

The gun that Kirby had during the encounter was recovered at the scene, according to police. Officials believe he stole a vehicle from a parking lot on Harper Avenue about an hour before the shooting.

Anthony Greene told Channel 9 that he was making deliveries in the area when he saw Kirby with both a shotgun and handgun.

“I saw a guy walking through the parking lot with a shotgun hidden under his arm like he was trying to hide it,” he said. “I thought that was strange and then when he went around the back of the grocery store he pulled out a pistol and started waving it.”

Greene later recorded video on his phone while police were talking to Kirby and several shots could be heard in the background. He told Channel 9 police didn’t have a choice.

“I don’t see any way it could have gone differently,” he said. “Because a guy for sure did have a shotgun and a pistol and he run at a cop and was aggressive and that’s gonna happen.”

The SBI is the primary investigative agency for this investigation. The Lenoir Police Department’s Professional Standards Team will conduct a separate but parallel investigation to determine whether the officers followed department policies and procedures during the incident.

The officers have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is standard procedure whenever officers discharge their service weapons.

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