Wife: Man was in crisis, had BB gun when deputies shot him

Family members tell WRAL News a man shot and killed by deputies struggled with mental illness and had called for help the same night he was shot.

Angela Tripp said her husband, Samuel Joseph Tripp III, 59, was shot and killed Thursday around 4:30 a.m. in the 1400 block of Cheves Road.

Franklin County Sheriff Kevin White said two deputies were involved. The State Bureau of Investigation will investigate the shooting, and both deputies have been placed on administrative duty as is standard protocol.

Angela Tripp said her husband called a mental health crisis hotline both Tuesday and Wednesday night. On Tuesday night, he was admitted to the emergency department and was sent home early Wednesday morning after being given to some medication. On Wednesday, she said he was still in pain. He tried calling multiple crisis lines again to get further assistance.

It was early Thursday morning when deputies went to their house.

Tripp said she slept in a different part of the home from her husband but was awakened around 4 a.m. Thursday by a knock on the door. According to Tripp, deputies said her husband had a gun to his head, but Tripp claims they only owned BB guns, which she said appear realistic.

Tripp said she heard deputies repeatedly yelling "put it down" before her husband was shot.

When she heard gunshots, Tripp, a nurse, ran to her husband's aid, but he died from his injuries.

Tripp said her husband had suffered three strokes in his lifetime and suffered from poor impulse control and short-term memory loss as a result.

Tripp said her husband was shot multiple times in the chest.

A neighbor who did not want to appear on camera said her 12-year-old daughter described hearing yelling followed by two gunshots.

The neighbor said investigators remained at the scene until noon on Thursday.