HERTFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WAVY) — A man who authorities said shot at Hertford County deputies last year has been convicted on federal charges related to the shooting.
Talametrius Kenyon Spruill, 42, was found guilty of being a felon in possession of ammunition after authorities recovered four shell casings fired from a Glock 19 that Spruill discarded the night of the shooting. Spruill also still faces two charges of attempted murder and other related charges at the state level in the case.
The shooting happened back on July 16, 2023, after deputies responded to a call about a suspicious person who had banged on a woman’s window at 3 a.m. The deputies found Spruill in the passenger seat of the woman’s vehicle with a gun, and he fled to the nearby wood line before firing four shots at the deputies from a drainage ditch.
A deputy returned fire, though neither the deputy nor Spruill were injured. The deputy was bitten by a dog in the incident.
Spruill was arrested the next day about four miles away after authorities said he was attempting to crawl under his aunt’s home.
“July 16 changed these deputies’ lives, today justice for that horrible day has been served. Thank you to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our FBI partners for their time and effort they put into the case. Thank you to the Deputies who were involved in this case – they did an outstanding job on July 16, 2023, and continue to do so today.”
Spruill now faces up to a maximum of 180 months in prison on the federal charges.
USAO Eastern District of North Carolina released body camera footage from a Hertford County Sheriff’s Deputy showing the chase. It includes the dramatic moment Spruill fired multiple shots at the deputies. Disclaimer: there is profanity in the video.
“Gun violence and attacks on law enforcement officers are an attack on the rule of law itself,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are prioritizing any case where a felon draws, levels, or fires a gun at law enforcement. I personally met with the deputies in this case and commend their courage and poise under fire. They did their jobs honorably, and we are proud to do ours in securing this guilty verdict. The people of North Carolina should be grateful for their sacrifice and thankful they survived.”
