ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — A district attorney has ruled that an Elizabeth City police lieutenant was justified in a July shooting that injured a 32-year-old man armed with a firearm.
The Elizabeth City Police Department said Friday it received a letter from First Prosecutorial District Attorney Jeffrey J. Cruden, who reviewed the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s report. Cruden determined that Lt. James Judge acted lawfully and appropriately when he fired his weapon during the July 20 encounter.
Police said the incident began around 12:40 p.m. near Hughes Boulevard and Halstead Boulevard, where officers responded to reports of a person armed with a weapon. When the officer arrived, he encountered a man from Perquimans County who was holding a firearm. The officer fired, hitting the man.
Officers provided aid until Pasquotank County EMS arrived. The man was first taken to Albemarle Medical Center, then transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Virginia for additional treatment.
The SBI has been leading the investigation, which police say remains active and ongoing.
Judge, a more than 20-year veteran of the department, was placed on paid administrative leave following the shooting — a standard procedure after officer-involved incidents.
Police thanked several agencies that responded, including the Pasquotank and Camden County sheriff’s offices, Elizabeth City State University Police, the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Pasquotank County EMS, the Elizabeth City Fire Department and Pasquotank-Camden Central Communications.
