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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Two people were shot and killed and a police sergeant and one other person was shot and injured at the Winston-Salem Sanitation Department early Friday morning.
The shooting happened at the Joycelyn V. Johnson Municipal building at 2000 Lowery St., according to Winston-Salem police.
A source close to FOX8 said Winston-Salem Police Sergeant Stewart Sloan was shot.
When police came to intervene in a fight involving two employees, Sloan was reportedly shot in the leg and the abdomen. He was the only officer shot.
Employees leaving tell me they are being interviewed before they leave. One said his nerves are shot after hearing the gunfire. He said he “never thought this would happen here.” @myfox8 pic.twitter.com/Wy7IJcXcuX
— Tess Bargebuhr (@Tessbargebuhr) December 20, 2019
Herbert Martinez, a sanitation worker, said he heard gunshots before 7 a.m. while he was in his car as people were arriving to work. He said he and others hid in a ditch, and he called his family. “They said, ‘Just start calling the police,’ and then next thing I hear is gunshots, so I went down to the ditch that was there, staying away from the gunshots,” he said. Dwight Black, another worker, said, “Things are definitely going to be different. The way you look at people, the way you treat people, the way you talk to people. The way you never know what’s going on in people’s lives.” Police say the scene is stable but could not elaborate. Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines released the following statement about the shooting:After hours of being kept inside, employees are finally able to leave the parking lot. Authorities tell me the scene is secured. When asked about a shooter on the loose, police said “The situation is secured.” News conference is at 2:00. @myfox8 pic.twitter.com/L94QPyMBZ4
— Daniel Pierce (@DanielDPierce) December 20, 2019
“On behalf of the City Council, I want to express how deeply saddened we are by the tragic event that occurred this morning involving employees at our Sanitation facility on Lowery Street. Although we do not yet have confirmed details about the incident, our thoughts and prayers are with the employees involved, their families, and their co-workers. We remain dedicated to continuing to ensure that all city employees have a safe and secure work place.”