Police tape marked off part of the Burke County Courthouse for hours on Friday after a man took his own his own life.
Andy Caroll Hedrick, 31, of 2422 Throneburg Road, Morganton shot himself just before noon in the restroom of the Burke County Magistrate Office where he was being served an order for arrest on three counts of failing to appear for probation violation hearings, according to Burke Sheriff Steve Whisenant.
According to prison records, Hedrick was on probation for driving while impaired and driving while revoked.
Whisenant said the 31-year-old had met with his probation officer Friday morning and the officer contacted deputies because the man had several outstanding warrants.
A deputy took Hedrick to the magistrate’s office, Whisenant said. Hedrick then excused himself to the restroom where he fatally shot himself.
Whisenant says it does not look like anyone else was in danger from the incident.
The magistrate office is on the bottom floor of the courthouse and has a separate entrance facing the back parking lot. A metal detector was recently installed at the main courthouse entrance and deputies screen everyone that comes in. No such security is at the magistrate’s office.
Magistrate David Whiteside, who was working when the incident occurred, said he’d like a metal detector installed to keep people from bringing weapons into the magistrate office.
Morganton Public Safety aided deputies in securing the scene and the SBI assisted with the shooting investigation. Police tape blocked off the office for more than four hours while detectives collected evidence.
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