REIDSVILLE, N.C. — A man was arrested Friday accused of firing gunshots at a Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office detective.
The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said Franklin Waite, 52, of Ruffin is charged with attempted murder in connection with the shooting. He’s also facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon against a law enforcement officer, and eight counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling.
Investigators said Waite fired shots at a detective following a chase Friday afternoon.
Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page said it started around 11 a.m. with a report about a suspect firing shots into several homes in the area of Benaja Road near Capital Loop. According to a release, callers said the suspect was in a burgundy Nissan truck.
Page said Deputy Z. Warner found the truck while responding to the area, and the suspect took off. Officials said the deputy chased the suspect to Cunningham Mill Road near Spearman Road, and that's when gunshots were exchanged.
According to a release, the suspect stopped and began shooting at the detective who returned fire. No one was hit with gunfire during the exchange.
The State Bureau of Investigation is taking over the investigation, which is standard in shootings involving law enforcement officials.
Waite was placed in the Rockingham County Detention Center under a $5,000,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 2.
