A predawn break-in on a quiet Goldsboro street turned into an hours-long standoff Wednesday after police say a man shot a woman, holed up inside her home and sparked a fire that tore through the house. Officers returned fire and eventually took him into custody; he was hospitalized and died the next day. State investigators have been called in to review what happened.
What happened
Officers were dispatched around 5:31 a.m. on April 15 to the 1100 block of Shelley Drive for a reported breaking and entering, according to Goldsboro Daily News. Police say that as they arrived, they heard gunfire and learned the suspect had chased and shot the female resident as she tried to escape, then retreated back into the house. The department is treating the case as attempted murder and arson and has asked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to conduct an independent review, the outlet reports.
Standoff and fire
Officers set up a perimeter and evacuated nearby homes while emergency response teams from Wayne, Lenoir, Greene and Johnston counties converged on the scene, as reported by WITN. Crisis negotiators were brought in, and robotic search units were deployed to scout the interior. Police say gas was deployed twice in an effort to force the suspect out; after the second round, crews spotted a fire in a bedroom. Firefighters shifted to a defensive posture until officers could confirm the suspect’s location, then moved in to knock down remaining hot spots.
Hospitalization and death
According to WRAL, officers say they fired back during the incident and hit the suspect, who later surrendered. He received medical attention at the scene before being taken to UNC Health Wayne, then was transferred to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill. WRAL identified him as 62-year-old Alexander Jones and reported that he died on April 16.
Victim and neighborhood reaction
The woman who was shot was identified by authorities as 56-year-old Yolanda Farmer. She was taken to UNC Health Wayne and was later listed in serious condition, according to Goldsboro Daily News. Neighbors described a hectic scene as officers went door to door ordering people out of their homes. ABC11 spoke with one resident who said being suddenly forced from her house during the chaos was “traumatizing.”
Investigation and next steps
Local authorities are investigating the case as attempted murder and arson, and the officer-involved shooting is under review by state investigators, WRAL reports. Goldsboro police say the investigation is ongoing and that more details will be released as they are finalized.
