A person was barricaded in a home in Jamesville on Thursday, prompting deputies to surround the residence and warn nearby residents to stay away. The standoff unfolded near the intersection of Manning Road and Brown Road, a rural stretch of the county roughly two hours east of Raleigh.
Officials said a person was barricaded in a home and shooting at law enforcement, according to Spectrum News. Authorities asked the public to avoid the area around Manning Road and Brown Road in Jamesville while the situation was active, the outlet reported. Martin County Sheriff Drew Robinson said the residence was currently surrounded as deputies worked to resolve the standoff.
Robinson was appointed Martin County Sheriff on January 31, 2025, after a 28-year career with the sheriff's office, including a stint as Chief Deputy, and he is listed on the ballot for the November 3, 2026 general election, according to Ballotpedia. He took over leadership of the agency following the retirement of former Sheriff Tim Manning. The sheriff's office is headquartered in Williamston, the county seat, which anchors a rural jurisdiction spanning 461 square miles with roughly 24,505 residents, per the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association.
A Tiny River Town Caught in the Standoff
Jamesville itself is a tiny community along the Roanoke River, covering just 1.46 square miles and recording a total population of 424 residents in the 2020 U.S. Census, according to Wikipedia. The standoff was near Manning Road and Brown Road. Deputies surrounded the residence while authorities asked the public to avoid the area.
Spectrum News 1 said it plans to provide updates on the developing story as more details emerge. As of the latest information, the identity of the barricaded individual and the circumstances leading to the gunfire had not been disclosed.
What State Law Says About Shooting at Officers
Under North Carolina General Statute § 14-34.5, assaulting a protected person with a firearm while that person is performing official duties is a Class E felony, according to the Charlotte Criminal Defense Lawyer blog from Browning & Long, PLLC. Separately, state law addresses DNA collection from arrestees.
A County With Other Law Enforcement Activity
A separate arson case in Jamesville involved two arson counts.
The identity and motive of the barricaded individual, along with whether any deputies or bystanders were injured, remained unknown as the situation continued to develop Thursday.
