Update: Henderson County sheriff deputy involved in shooting has been fired

HENDERSONVILLE - An off-duty Henderson County Sheriff's Office deputy shot a 25-year-old man in the early morning hours of Feb. 23, according to a news release from the Hendersonville Police Department.

Hendersonville police responded to the sound of gunshots at 80 Brittany Estates Circle at 7:09 a.m. Feb. 23, the release said. Officers determined an off-duty sheriff’s deputy fired at a person who was standing beside a parked patrol car.

Hendersonville Police Chief Blair Myhand said the deputy used his personal firearm in the shooting. Allison Justus, a spokesperson for the police department, said there were two shots fired, and that one of those shots hit the victim in the right arm.

In a Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post at 12:30 p.m., Sheriff Lowell Griffin wrote that the deputy, Joshua Rankin, had been fired.

Lowell also wrote that the sheriff's office had removed itself from the investigation.

"I have full confidence that the Hendersonville Police Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation will conduct a thorough and complete investigation of the incident," Griffin wrote in the post.

"The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office will cooperate fully with the investigating agencies. At this time, I am able to release that Joshua Rankin’s employment with Henderson County Sheriff’s Office has been terminated. For obvious reasons, I will be unable to comment further until the investigation is completed and reviewed by District Attorney Andrew Murray, however, I believe that no one is above being held accountable for their actions."

At noon, Justus said Hendersonville Police officers were securing the scene while the N.C. SBI continued its investigation.

Hendersonville police said in the release that the 25-year-old victim suffered a non-life-threatening injury and was treated on scene by Henderson County EMS. A few hours later, Justus said at the request of the SBI, the victim was transported to the hospital for further examination.

At the request of the Hendersonville Police, the SBI is leading the investigation into this incident. Justus said since the SBI was in charge of the investigation, details on the type of firearm that was used wasn't be released at this time.

"We have nothing to release on this incident at this time as the scene is still active," sheriff's office spokesperson Johnny Duncan said in an email Feb. 23. "There is no threat to the public and the investigation is being conducted by the Hendersonville Police Department."

Police are asking residents are requested to avoid the area of the shooting, where there is a large police presence.

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This story will be updated.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Henderson Count Sheriff's deputy shoots and injures person police say