A North Carolina state trooper was justified in fatally shooting a motorist who opened fire on the trooper first July 3 along Interstate 26, the Buncombe County district attorney ruled, WSPA-TV reported.

Investigators said Trooper Jeffrey Dunlap was assisting a stranded motorist around 7:35 p.m. on the highway near Long Shoals Road when the motorist pulled a gun and shot Dunlap in the chest, the station said.

Highway patrol said the trooper’s ballistic vest stopped the bullet, WSPA noted, and Dunlap was able to return fire, killing the motorist.

The motorist was identified as 57-year-old Wesley Scott Taylor of Leicester, the station said.

“After reviewing [highway patrol] dashcam video capturing the event involving Trooper Jeffrey L. Dunlap and Wesley Scott Taylor Monday, July 3, 2023, I find that Trooper Dunlap was legally justified to use deadly force against Taylor who shot Trooper Dunlap in the chest at close range with a .44 Magnum semi-automatic pistol,” Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams said in a statement Tuesday, WSPA reported.

The station added that Williams said, “Fortunately, the round fired by Taylor was stopped by Trooper Dunlap’s ballistic vest. No criminal charges will be filed in this matter and the NC SBI may close this investigation."

Williams also shared two images: a still frame from Dunlap’s dashcam video showing Taylor pointing a gun at the trooper at close range between their two vehicles as well as a photo of the bullet recovered from Dunlap’s vest, WSPA said.

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Commenters on WSPA's YouTube page were decidedly in the trooper's corner:

DA: Deadly force justified in trooper shooting on I-26 in Buncombe Co.youtu.be

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