By Joyce Orlando
The Star
SHELBY, N.C. — Shelby Police are still actively searching for 23-year-old Irving Lucien Fenner Jr., who is suspected of shooting Officer Tim Brackeen.
Brackeen, who was shot in the chest while searching for Fenner early Saturday morning, died Monday morning around 11:40 a.m.
Law enforcement from Shelby, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, State Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshals, Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and multiple other agencies have been chasing leads since Brackeen was shot, Chief Jeff Ledford said.
“We have teams out 24/7, checking on tips,” he said.
Fenner still faces charges of attempted murder related to the shooting, as of Monday at 4:45 p.m.
Gov. Pat McCrory spoke with Ledford on Sunday about Brackeen.
“The governor has been extrememly supportive and has offered us every state resource that we need,” Ledford said.
At 4:45 p.m. Monday, Ledford addressed the media and said the search for Fenner continues as it had through the weekend.
Brackeen was looking for Fenner at 12:21 a.m. Saturday to serve a warrant on charges of robbery with a dangerous weapon. He reportedly found Fenner at 212 Gidney St., near Bethel Baptist Church, in Shelby, police said. The two struggled outside the home, and Brackeen was shot in the chest, Ledford said Saturday.
Other officers arriving on the scene heard the sound of gunfire, and when they went to Brackeen’s location, they found him outside the home and injured, Ledford said Saturday. Brackeen was wearing his bulletproof vest at the time of the shooting.
Brackeen and Fenner had met before Saturday night. In June 2012, Brackeen performed a traffic stop and wrote Fenner citations for no operators license and for failing to stop at a sign or red light. These charges were disposed of by a judge in 2013.
Fenner was also convicted of assault of a Shelby PD law enforcement animal in July 2009, which was disposed of in August 2009. He was also awaiting a hearing on two citations issued by the Sheriff’s Office for misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana up to a half ounce and carrying a concealed gun.
Gov. Pat McCrory announced Monday the state is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the shooting of Brackeen.
Cleveland County Crime Stoppers are also offering a continuously increasing reward in the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the shooting. Donations can be made to CrimeStoppers at www.cityofshelby.com, search for CrimeStoppers or through check mailed to Crime Stoppers, PO Box 3262, Shelby, NC 28151.
“We will continue to get the reward money up,” Ledford said.