Just north of Charlotte in Iredell County, a tense eight-hour standoff concluded Sunday with deputies fatally shooting a double murder suspect, Justin Michael Strawser, who was wearing a bulletproof vest.
Deputies were first alerted to shots fired in Mooresville, where they discovered three individuals at a home, two of whom, Eduardo Cordova, 22, and Caleb Loper, 24, were found deceased. A third victim was found in critical condition, who was quickly rushed to the hospital.
The suspect was then spotted fleeing the scene in the below SUV.
A tip led authorities to Strawser at a residence on Oswalt Amity Road, where he fired at deputies from inside after barricading himself and four children within. The situation escalated as Strawser repeatedly shot at officers, prompting them to deploy gas to facilitate the children’s escape and ultimately, Strawser’s emergence and subsequent shooting at deputies, leading to his death.
Strawser would have faced charges of first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon. The children and deputies emerged unharmed from the incident.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has taken over the inquiry, with three deputies placed on administrative leave per protocol of all officer involved deaths.