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By Carey Phillips and Lynn Hotaling
A Sylva police officer escaped serious injury when he was shot
Saturday evening, but the shooter was hospitalized in critical
condition after being shot by deputies following a standoff of
approximately an hour.
Harold Leo McVay III
Officer Shannon Ashe was kept overnight for observation
at Harris Regional Hospital, according to Police Chief Jeff Jamison.
Harold Leo McVay III was airlifted to Mission Hospitals in Asheville
after he was shot by two deputies with the Jackson County Sheriff's
Office, Jamison said.
"Due to his current medical condition, no charges have been
filed against McVay as of press time," Police Sgt. Tammy
Hooper said Wednesday morning.
Jamison said Monday the charges against McVay might not be filed
until he was removed from a ventilator.
The incident began around 6:10 p.m. when Ashe responded to a report
of shots being fired on Magnolia Street off Chipper Curve Road.
Ashe answered the call alone because two other officers were tied
up on a call on a Savannah Drive arrest, Jamison said.
"When (Officer Ashe) arrived, he saw (McVay) standing on
the front porch of a downstairs apartment with his back to Shannon
talking to someone inside the apartment," Jamison said. "Shannon
approached him but could not see (McVay's) hands. Shannon ordered
him to show his hands, but (McVay) ignored him. Shannon again
told (McVay) to show his hands. Instead he turned and fired two
rounds, one of which hit Shannon near the bottom of the rib cage
on the right side."
Ashe was wearing a bulletproof vest that likely saved his life,
Jamison said.
Ashe was able to return fire as he retreated to his car and called
for help on his radio, the police chief said. The suspect, later
identified as the 34-year-old McVay, ran from the scene.
Jamison said McVay was standing on the porch of a downstairs apartment,
which is the residence of Vickie Bradley and her teenage son,
when the shooting occurred. Bradley was not home, but her son
was.
The initial report of shots came from the occupant of the upstairs
apartment.
Ashe and other police, sheriff's and highway patrol officers who
quickly converged on the scene did not initially know where McVay
fled.
McVay was found at his house next door to the apartments where
the shooting occurred. McVay, who lives with his sister and her
son, made himself known to officers as they searched in the back
yard of the house, Jamison said.
"He was armed with a semiautomatic handgun," Jamison
said. "He was ordered to put the gun down and come out, but
he refused."
The chief said he attempted to start negotiations with McVay,
but the suspect refused and was only willing to negotiate with
Sheriff's Deputy Matt Helton. Although Helton did not know McVay,
the suspect said he recognized the deputy, Jamison said.
Negotiations lasted 45 minutes to an hour during which time McVay
was repeatedly asked to come out with his hands up, but he refused
to cooperate, the police chief said.
"He became more and more agitated and made an aggressive
and threatening move toward the officers with his firearm,"
Jamison said.
At that point, Helton and John Fox, also a deputy with the Sheriff's
Office, fired at McVay, Jamison said.
The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating, which is standard
procedure when an officer is involved in a shooting.
Several homes in the area were evacuated during the standoff,
according to Jamison.
Jackson County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe said McVay is wanted for escape
from Coshocton County, Ohio but has no criminal record here. He
is believed to have been in the Sylva area around two years, according
to the sheriff.
Jamison said his department has a mandatory policy for officers
to wear vests anytime they are in uniform.
He said this is the second time in less than a year the vest may
have saved Officer Ashe's life.
He was injured in December while assisting the Sheriff's Department
in setting up a road block at Dillsboro.
In that case, the suspect's vehicle ran the road block and struck
Ashe's patrol car with him inside. Jamison said the vest protected
Ashe from the collision's impact.
Jamison praised Officer Ashe for his actions immediately following
the shooting, noting Ashe remained on his post and directed other
officers to the scene. He did not leave for the hospital until
several minutes after the incident.
Jamison and many long-time residents believe Ashe is the first
Sylva Police officer to be shot in the line of duty.
"I want to commend Deputy Matt Helton for the fine job he
did in attempting to negotiate with the guy," Jamison said.
He noted the spirit of cooperation that exists between law enforcement
officers in the county, as well as emergency services personnel.
"The people of Jackson County and the Town of Sylva are very
fortunate to have the cooperation between law enforcement agencies
that they do," he said.
The chief expressed appreciation to members of the Jackson County
Rescue Squad and fire departments from Sylva and Cullowhee for
providing lighting and blocking off roads in the area Saturday
night. He said Rescue Squad personnel also provided food and drinks
for officers.
Saturday's shocking events impacted Sheriff Ashe's plans to move
prisoners into the new jail, said Jackson County Commissioners'
Chairman Stacy Buchanan during Tuesday's (Oct. 21) commissioners
meeting.
With four of his deputies on administrative leave pending the
shooting investigation, the sheriff has requested a grace period
to accomplish the move-in, Buchanan said.
Other county commissioners supported the delay.
"I was adamant last week (that the prisoners should be moved
into the new jail), but then this terrible tragedy came up"
said Commissioner Brian McMahan said. "I support the sheriff
in this decision, but as soon as the SBI releases the officers,
I expect them to move."
Commissioners voted during their Oct. 14 session to send the sheriff
a letter requesting him to move prisoners into the new facility
by Oct. 21.
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