Suspect identified in Burke Co. officer-involved shooting and kidnapping

BURKE COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) - WBTV is learning more information after the State Highway Patrol member-involved shooting in Burke County Tuesday morning.

State Highway Patrol says there were multiple hit-and-run collisions and a related armed kidnapping on I-40.

Today, the suspect is identified as 45-year-old Keisha Michelle Brown of Villa Rica, Georgia, which is about 30 minutes outside Atlanta.

WBTV’s Dee Dee Gatton headed back to Burke County where people living in the area have a lot to say about what happened.

“For the most part, this is a small town, everybody knows each other, there’s not really a bunch of fighting or arguing or crime,” said David Frye, the owner of Frye Daddy’s Diner, who had a front-row seat to the events Tuesday.

State Highway Patrol says Keisha Michelle Brown was involved in multiple hit-and-run collisions, kidnapped a driver, and occupied their vehicle driving on I-40.

Owner of Advantage Beer & Wine Supplies, Mike Walkup, heard customers talking about it.

“It sounded like a terrible thing for this side,” Walkup said. “This is the country, we don’t have much action like that around here.”

Once State Highway Patrol caught up with Brown, they tell us she fired shots from the bed of the truck.

A NCSHP sergeant returned fire, shooting the woman.

The highway was shut down for hours.

“I don’t know what’s happening to this world, to be honest with you. 10 years ago, you didn’t hear about stuff like this,” said Frye.

WBTV reached out to State Highway Patrol for more answers as to what led up to this and why it happened.

We’re told the investigation is ongoing and that the suspect was transported to the hospital and is listed in stable condition.

Pending release from a medical facility, authorities say, Brown will be served with warrants related to Tuesday’s events for first-degree kidnapping and first-degree attempted murder.

The sergeant was not injured and has been placed on administrative duty per agency protocol.

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