Mitchell County emergency services responded to a potential active shooter situation in the Penland community Wednesday afternoon. No one was injured. Sheriff Donald Street released the following statement about the event:
“On Wednesday, April 30th, Mitchell County Officers responded to a report of an active shooter from a foreman of a river cleanup crew in the area of Clinchfield Drive in the Penland community. Two members of his crew were operating heavy equipment in the river when they started hearing gunfire. They took cover behind their equipment. In separate interviews, both individuals stated that they were concerned for their safety and had seen a round hit a rock close to where they were taking cover. Three of my officers and the foreman started down to where the workers were taking cover, and as they were doing so, they started hearing gunfire whizzing over their heads. Mitchell County had a North Carolina State Highway Patrol helicopter in the county doing search and rescue training. The helicopter was able to fly over the area and locate the individual who had been shooting. The pilot was able to observe him leaving and followed him so that law enforcement could stop him. He was stopped by officers near Penland Carwash. The gentleman was very cooperative. After interviewing all parties involved at the sheriff’s office, it was determined that the individual shooting was target practicing, something that he had done many times on a friend’s land. He was not aware, and we do not feel he knew about the individuals in the area where he was shooting. The distance that we determined he was shooting was around 500 yards; the work crew was around 100 yards past his target.
This was an unfortunate event that occurred, and thank God no one was hurt. No charges will be filed against the individual.”
Statement from County Manager Allen Cook:
“Mitchell County communications received a call on Wednesday 4/30 reporting shots fired in the proximity of a waterway debris removal crew working in the Toe River near the Penland community. The Mitchell County Special Response Team did an excellent job and responded in quick fashion. They secured the scene and evacuated the waterway work crew. Since a vehicle was seen leaving the area, a call was made to lockdown the schools. The individual was stopped, detained, questioned and later released. The individual was not acting with bad intent. He was target practicing in an area that he had secured permission and used on many occasions. The person is a local citizen in good standing and was very cooperative with law enforcement. The response of Mitchell County law enforcement, emergency management and communications shows that we stand ready should an actual active shooter event occur.”
