On Tuesday, Nov. 17, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department issued a statement on the triple shooting that claimed one life in downtown Greensboro a day earlier.

The message explained jurisdiction issues, informed media to seek information from the Greensboro Police Department (GPD) rather than from the Sheriff’s Department, and it also offered some scary details about how close bullets came to injuring even more people.

“Because this incident occurred inside city limits,” the statement from the Sheriff’s Department reads, “the Greensboro Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency tasked with investigating this crime. The Guilford County Sheriff’s Office has, however, provided and will continue to provide GPD with its full support during this investigation. To avoid, however, compromising any aspect of this important criminal investigation, all media and press inquiries concerning the investigation should be directed to the GPD not the Sheriff’s Office nor to Guilford County management or staff.”

It also stated that, while questions should go to the city’s police department, Sheriff Danny Rogers could offer the following details: “The Courthouse is located on the east side of Eugene Street in downtown Greensboro. The Sheriff’s downtown location lies on the west side of Eugene Street. The shooting suspects fired their weapons in a generally westerly direction at an intended victim. That victim was struck by gunfire and sought refuge at the Sheriff’s Office. He was pulled inside the building to safety by Sheriff’s Deputies who provided immediate protection and care for him until EMS could arrive. Numerous other Sheriff’s Deputies responded immediately from inside the building and the Courthouse across the street.”

The press release went on to state that at least four bullets hit the Sheriff’s Department’s administrative offices – on the northeast and east sides of the building. One bullet went into an exterior wall and three others broke windows and entered interior offices. The bullets didn’t hit anyone working inside, but one of the bullets did hit a computer monitor on an employee’s desk.

“That Sheriff’s employee was, thankfully, attending to other duties and not at his desk at the time,” the statement reads. “A photograph of the damage to his office is included with this press release and demonstrates how closely this came to causing additional harm.”

The statement added that Rogers, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department and county management are all ready and willing to assist the Greensboro police with the investigation.

 

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