The Banks County deputy who was shot in the line of duty by an alleged kidnapper is recovering from his injuries, the sheriff’s office says.
Deputy Dillon Crump was shot in the hand and vest during a confrontation outside the Super 8 Motel at Banks Crossing in Commerce on February 8.
“Although he has long healing days ahead of him, we can proudly and thankfully say that Deputy Crump is on the road to recovery!” says the Banks County Sheriff’s Office.
It started with a suspicious vehicle
Dillon and another deputy were on patrol in the early morning hours Tuesday when they noticed a suspicious car in the parking lot at the motel. A man and a woman were asleep in the backseat of the car, officials say. After checking the license plate, deputies discovered that the car’s owner, 32-year-old Robert Brodie of Henderson, North Carolina, was wanted for kidnapping in North Carolina.
According to GBI spokesperson Natalie Ammons, the deputies attempted to wake the people in the car. The man in the car, later identified as Brodie, pulled out a gun and shot the woman.
“Brodie and two deputies exchanged gunfire. Brodie was shot several times and one of the deputies was also shot. The woman in the car was the kidnapping victim,” says Ammons.
Authorities in North Carolina have identified the kidnapping victim as Mary Ann Joyner, reports WRAL TV.
Brodie is accused of forcing his way into a house in Henderson on Monday, February 7, and kidnapping Joyner, Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame told reporters. He fled with her in his car. North Carolina deputies entered the vehicle information into local, state, and national databases.
Not the first time
This is not the first time Brodie has been charged with kidnapping Joyner, with whom it’s reported he had a previous romantic relationship. At the time of the Banks County shooting, WRAL reports Brodie was out of jail on bond for allegedly kidnapping Joyner in Franklin County, North Carolina, and taking her across state lines. The station cited court records that show Brodie also faces a murder charge in connection to a 2014 Franklin County case.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating the officer-involved shooting in Banks County. The agency has not released any updates regarding Brodie and Joyner’s medical conditions.
As for Deputy Crump, the Banks County Sheriff’s Office says he confirmed their faith in him when he “requested medical personnel to assess and treat the victim before himself.” The sheriff’s office also extends its appreciation to the community at large for its support since the shooting.
“We would like to thank each and every person, agency, business and community that has reached out and prayed for our personnel,” BCSO posted to Facebook. “We are truly grateful and humbled by the tremendous outpouring of support.”
