PARKTON — The shooter in a standoff with law enforcement officers in Parkton has been shot and killed, The Robesonian newspaper has reported.
The man, apparently a veteran, is identified as Kevin Battaglia, who is in his 30s.
The Robesonian has been told there were two children in the stick-built home that is part of a small subdivision on McGiver Road that is 12 to 15 years old.
It is unclear if he was killed by officers or took his own life.
According to multiple sources, the standoff began when a sheriff’s deputy went to the home for a “wellness check.” The Robesonian has been told the check was prompted after Battaglia was seen earlier today walking the streets with a weapon, and also because of Facebook posts he made.
Battaglia, according to the sources, shot at the deputy and for a while had her and other officers pinned down. Sheriff’s deputies from Robeson and Cumberland counties, police from Fayetteville and Lumberton, highway patrolmen, and SBI agents were called to the scene, and among them were several SWAT teams.
A highway patrolman was apparently struck by a bullet, but was not injured because he was wearing a safety vest.
There were repeated attempts by law enforcement through the use of a loudspeaker to get the person to surrender.
A person who lives near the scene told The Robesonian at one point he heard a volley of what he guessed was more than 100 shots.
Battaglia’s last post on his Facebook page was Saturday night. It was a photo of him wearing a black shirt saying “United We Stand” and camouflage pants. No weapons were apparent. Many of his postings were religious in nature.
The Robesonian will continue to update as information is available.
