A North Carolina father has been arrested on charges of second-degree murder following the shooting of a state corrections employee.
The incident occurred in Durham, North Carolina, where Chad Woods, 41, allegedly shot and killed 39-year-old Jeffrey McKay.
The events began around 6:30 am on Monday, August 14, when McKay accidentally drove into and killed Woods’ 17-year-old son, Chad Woods Jr. The father and son had been walking home after running out of gas.
McKay, an electrical supervisor with the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, immediately stopped and called 911 to report the accident.
The distraught father allegedly shot McKay at the scene. Woods reportedly discarded his firearm into a nearby pond and fled in McKay’s truck, leaving both McKay’s and his son’s bodies in the street.
Law enforcement arrested Woods less than a mile away from his home.
Witnesses described a scene of confusion. Lawrence Claiborne, Woods’ father, recalled his son’s visible distress, when Woods said, “He just killed my son.”
A nearby resident, Melody Moore, heard the confrontation and gunshots, leaving her deeply disturbed. Initially, the incident was mistaken for a car accident, attracting the attention of concerned onlookers.
Woods is scheduled to appear in court on August 21.