An early morning disturbance at the Microtel Inn on Landson Drive in Statesville escalated into a shooting around 2:00 a.m. on February 3. According to the Statesville Police Department's Post, Police found an adult male in the hotel lobby with multiple gunshot wounds to the face and abdomen. Officers provided immediate aid until Iredell County EMS transported the victim to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
Joel Scott Winbush Jr. was identified as the prime suspect, charged with Attempted First-Degree Murder and Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill. Winbush, not a Statesville resident, initially evaded authorities, prompting assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office.
On February 5, law enforcement located Winbush in Hildebran. He barricaded himself in a residence, leading to a standoff. Officers eventually entered and found Winbush deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
