Son of North Carolina police officer shot by father has died

ONSLOW COUNTY, N.C. (WITN/Gray Media) - The 15-year-old son of a Jacksonville, North Carolina police officer has died after being shot last Monday at a home in Onslow County.

The shooting happened on Haw Branch Road around 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 27. Information released last week by authorities said the police officer accidentally shot his 15-year-old son in the head.

The teen was first taken to Camp Lejeune’s Naval Medical Center and then transferred to Vidant Medical Center with a life-threatening gunshot wound.

Thursday afternoon, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office said the teen has died.

“The caller is advising that it’s going to be accidental,” said a sheriff’s office dispatcher in a recording obtained by WITN News. “They were advising they were playing with toy guns. Somehow they’ve had a gunshot wound.”

In the recording, that dispatcher said a .45 caliber weapon was used in the shooting. A deputy at the scene then advised the shooter was a Jacksonville police officer.

WITN requested both the 911 recording and the sheriff’s office radio broadcasts last week, both which are public records under state law.

The county has refused to release the 911 call, claiming it was a medical call and not a request for law enforcement. Both EMS and deputies were dispatched as a result of that telephone call.

Onslow County deputies are still investigating the shooting. Once completed, that investigation will be sent to District Attorney Ernie Lee who will determine whether charges should be filed.