UNC STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FACULTY:
Town of Chapel Hill Police has release the following information:
Officer Discharges Firearm after Suspect Strikes Officer with Stolen Vehicle
Today at approximately 2:35pm, a Chapel Hill Police Officer attempted to stop a vehicle for speeding. The driver, Joanne Kay Hall (50), fled from the officer and a pursuit ensued. A short time later, the vehicle stopped in traffic near the intersection of US 15-501 and Manning Drive. The officer got out of his vehicle and, while approaching the suspect vehicle, Hall struck the officer with her vehicle by backing into him. The officer fired one shot at the vehicle which deflated the left rear tire. Hall fled the scene again and stopped a short time later. She was taken into custody without further incident. No one was injured during the incident.
Chief Blue said, “This incident highlights how quickly a seemingly routine encounter can turn into something possibly deadly. I am glad that neither the officer nor Ms. Hall was harmed in this encounter.”
Additional information about the charges, bond, and court appearance will be released when it becomes available.
Continue to monitor Alert Carolina website (alertcarolina.unc.edu) for updates.
About Informational Messages: The University sends an Informational Message to inform the campus community about a situation that is not an emergency but is expected to be of significant interest to the campus. An Informational Message is one of three tiers of communication under the University’s revised emergency communications plan. Emergency Warning refers to a siren activation for a significant emergency. And a Timely Warning is issued if there is a continuing danger AND notification will not compromise law enforcement.