Suspect in custody: Robert Lee Strother is apprehended

Update - 11:48 pm

The manhunt for Robert Lee Strother ended in gunfire Saturday evening as law enforcement took Strother into custody following a 911 call from a Lenoir County resident.

Strother had been on the run for nearly 48 hours since shooting and wounding Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Steven Key on Thursday evening. 

In a statement at a Saturday evening press conference, Lenoir County Public Information Officer Bryan Hanks said a resident on Banks School Road called 911 at 8:19 p.m., informing authorities that a man fitting Strother’s description was on the porch of their home. 

Lenoir County Sheriff Ronnie Ingram dispatched two armored vehicles to the residence. 

“When the armored vehicles approached Strother at the residence, Strother was instructed to surrender to the authorities. However, he did not surrender,” Hanks said.

According to Hanks, a gunfight erupted between Strother and officers from the multiple law enforcement agencies who were on the scene. 

Strother was hit multiple times, while no law enforcement officers were struck by gunfire, Hanks said. Strother was transported to a hospital by EMS after he was taken into custody. 

Ingram said he did not have any updates on Strother’s condition.

The NC State Bureau of Investigation has taken over investigation of the incident, since Strother was injured by gunfire from a law enforcement officer.
In response to a question from reporters, Ingram said the LCSO is not yet able to release information on which agency fired the shots that struck Strother.

Ingram said Strother’s familiarity with the area could have helped him elude authorities, but they have no indication at this point that he received any assistance during his time on the run. 

Since the residence where he was apprehended was outside the perimeter authorities had established, Ingram said he believed darkness could have allowed Strother to slip through. 

Ingram expressed his gratitude to the multiple agencies that participated in the search.

“Without their assistance and equipment, we would not have been able to successfully complete this task,” Ingram said.

ORIGINAL STORY FOLLOWS

Suspect Robert Lee Strother has been apprehended tonight. Strother, the subject of a man hunt by local law enforcement agencies in Lenoir and surrounding counties, shot LCSO Dep. Steven Key Thursday night and seriously wounded a Lenoir County resident Friday morning. Law enforcement searched for Strother throughout the day on Friday after locating the truck Strother stole.