Hendersonville Officer Cleared in Shooting of Knife-Wielding Man After 911 Calls

A Hendersonville police sergeant who shot a knife-wielding man during a tense standoff outside a Hendersonville apartment complex in March was legally justified in using deadly force, District Attorney R. Andrew Murray determined, following a state investigation into the case. The man, Christopher Tarbox, survived being shot once in the abdomen and had reportedly called 911 on himself twice before officers ever arrived.

Murray's determination came in an official letter sent to the Special Agent in Charge of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation's Asheville regional office, according to the Hendersonville Lightning. The SBI assumed the lead in this investigation pursuant to protocol, the paper reports. In this case, the underlying report was compiled by SBI Special Agent K.J. McMurray and drew on body-worn camera video, dashcam footage, civilian bystander video, medical records, physical evidence, and transcribed interviews.

A dispatcher reported that before Hendersonville police officers ever reached the scene, Tarbox himself had placed two separate 911 calls indicating he intended to harm himself or others, the Lightning reports. Officers were dispatched to Hebron Terrace Apartments at 609 Hebron Road for a report of a knife-wielding suspect on March 15, according to FOX Carolina. Once there, they were unable to make contact with anyone inside the apartment.

A Half-Hour Standoff Escalates

Tarbox eventually exited the apartment holding knives and speaking erratically, per the station's report. Officers spent roughly 30 minutes attempting to de-escalate the situation as Tarbox moved back and forth between his apartment and the parking lot, growing increasingly agitated. During the shooting sequence, an officer used a TASER, according to the station's report.

According to the district attorney's account relayed by FOX Carolina, Tarbox had earlier thrown a knife in the direction of the officers. He eventually focused his attention on Sergeant Thomas Reynolds and walked with purpose toward Reynolds and a lieutenant on scene. Reynolds had been holding his firearm in a low-ready position; Tarbox has said Reynolds instead had his weapon in the high-ready position, an account that differs from the district attorney's description. Both Reynolds and the lieutenant fired their guns during the encounter.

DA Cites Threat Perception, Mental Health Crisis

Reynolds' round struck Tarbox once in the abdomen. The district attorney's office determined Tarbox was perceived as an immediate threat to both officers at the moment force was used, and separately found that Tarbox appeared to be experiencing some type of mental-health crisis during the encounter, per the same account. After the shot was fired, officers placed Tarbox in handcuffs and rendered aid before he was transported to Mission Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' 2026-2030 Suicide Prevention Action Plan, the state is seeking to divert mental-health crises away from law-enforcement responses while maintaining and developing a Rapid Response Team. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says crisis support is available 24 hours a day by calling or texting 988 or chatting online with a crisis counselor.

Hendersonville Police Chief Blair Myhand said afterward that Tarbox had been staying at the apartment complex with family members, according to WLOS. In line with standard departmental policy, the involved officer was placed on paid administrative leave while the SBI conducted its criminal investigation and the Hendersonville Police Department carried out its own internal administrative review, WLOS reported at the time.

The Legal Standard for Deadly Force

Murray's determination that Reynolds was legally justified was based on the circumstances of the encounter. Murray's office issued the determination in this case.

According to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the state Crime Reporting Program collects and maintains annual data on deaths by deadly force, which are available upon request.

It remains unclear whether Tarbox faces any criminal charges stemming from the standoff, or whether the Hendersonville Police Department has completed its separate internal administrative review of Reynolds' conduct. Both questions were left unaddressed in the materials released alongside the district attorney's determination.