A confrontation in Johnston County involving deputies and a reportedly suicidal man has concluded with the DA ruling that no charges will be filed against the officers. According to The News & Observer, the incident occurred on February 4, when deputies Derek Leagan and Zachary Petri responded to a report of a man threatening to kill law enforcement and himself. The man, identified as Anthony Wayne Collins, was shot by the deputies after he ignored commands and reached for his gun.
The district attorney, Susan Doyle, declared in a statement that the deputies' actions were "both reasonable and warranted." As reported by ABC11, Collins had been drinking heavily, was armed with three weapons, and posed an imminent threat of death or serious physical injury to the officers at the scene. Doyle concluded that their use of deadly force was justified under North Carolina General Statute 15A-401(d)(2), which permits an use of deadly force to defend against imminent deadly force.
During the incident, deputies first encountered Collins near a shed on the property where they saw a handgun in his pocket. When Collins fled into a field, he reportedly continued to resist compliance and threatened the deputies' lives. According to CBS 17, family members had informed the deputies of Collins's mental state and his threats of a shootout with officers before he was ultimately shot several times by Deputies Leagan and Petri after reaching for his weapon.
Critical to the inquiry was the evidence gathered at the scene, including three fully loaded weapons, each with a cartridge in the chamber, recovered from Collins. Collins was treated at WakeMed for non-life-threatening injuries sustained during the altercation. In the aftermath, the investigation, conducted by the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, and the review by DA Susan Doyle reveal the complexities and split-second decisions law enforcement officers often face, particularly during mental health crises. Collins's shooting comes on the heels of another Johnston County Sheriff’s Office deputy-involved shooting last summer, where DA Doyle also determined no charges would be filed.
