Officer-involved shooting in Hatteras: Man flown to Virginia hospital, deputy treated and released from local hospital, sheriff’s office says

A Dare County Sheriff’s Office vehicle (File photo by Corinne Saunders)

By Corinne Saunders

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HATTERAS — Unspecified injuries were reported after an officer-involved shooting took place in Hatteras Village late Thursday night.

Dare County Emergency Medical Services transported both the Dare County Sheriff’s Office deputy and a civilian to Outer Banks Health Hospital in Nags Head, where the deputy was treated and released, while the civilian was flown to a Virginia hospital for further treatment, according to a Friday morning Dare County Sheriff’s Office press release.

Deputies responded at approximately 11:16 p.m. on Thursday to a Hatteras Village residence “for a report of a domestic disturbance with a shotgun involved,” according to the sheriff’s office.

The suspect fled the scene when deputies arrived, according to the press release.

“When we arrive on the scene of the domestic, he jumps in the vehicle and takes off, and then we chase him,” Dare County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jeff Deringer told Outer Banks Insider in a brief phone interview Friday about the incident.

After the man stopped the vehicle, he exited the vehicle, and “he just starts fighting,” Deringer said.

The combativeness resulted in injuries to one of the deputies, and “the deputy fired two shots, resulting in injury to the suspect,” according to the press release.

“No other civilians or bystanders were affected,” Deringer said.

As is standard procedure with officer-involved shootings, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) was called to take over the investigation, he said.

Further details, including the criminal charges issued and the nature of injuries, are expected to be released soon.

According to Deringer, the injured suspect is expected to be treated and released from the hospital in Virginia.

“The SBI has no additional information this morning,” Public Information Director Chad Flowers said in a Friday email. “Our investigation continues.”

The Island Free Press first reported the officer-involved shooting.

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This article was updated at 10:41 a.m. Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, after receiving a response from the SBI.

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