Master Trooper Kevin Keith Conner, a 38-year-old white male, was tragically killed in the line of duty on October 17, 2018. Conner, who served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for 11 years, was conducting a traffic stop on U.S. 701 near Sellers Town Road in Columbus County when he was fatally shot by the driver of a speeding vehicle he had pulled over. The suspect, a 20-year-old black male, opened fire on Conner as he approached the vehicle, striking and ultimately killing him.
A good Samaritan discovered Conner shortly after the shooting and called 911, but despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, Conner was pronounced dead.
The suspect, who was driving a stolen truck, fled the scene but was later apprehended near Fair Bluff after a pursuit that ended when his vehicle became disabled on railroad tracks. He then attempted to flee on foot but was captured and taken into custody. The suspect, who had a criminal history including a previous conviction for firing a gun into an occupied car in Chadbourn in 2015, was charged with first-degree murder and held in the Columbus County Jail without bond.
On October 23, 2018, a second suspect, an 18-year-old black male, was arrested in Loris, South Carolina, in connection with Conner's murder. Evidence indicated that this second suspect was in the truck with the shooter at the time of the incident. He was also charged with first-degree murder and had a prior criminal record, including convictions for possession of a firearm by a felon and identity theft.
The investigation into Conner's death involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Columbus County Sheriff's Office, and the North Carolina Highway Patrol. Dash cam footage from Conner's patrol car and video footage from a nearby convenience store were instrumental in identifying and apprehending the suspects. The case garnered significant attention and highlighted the dangers faced by law enforcement officers in the line of duty.
