MANHUNT CONTINUES OVERNIGHT FOR ARMED SUSPECT

By Jon Mayhew

LENOIR, NC -- Authorities from across Western North Carolina continued to comb nearly 40 acres of land near Lenoir, looking for an armed suspect who shot and killed one Caldwell County Sheriff's Deputy and wounded another.

FBI officials said Deputy Adam Kluttz was shot by Skip Brinkley after responding to Brinkley's residence on Fox Winkler Road Friday night. Kluttz was the first deputy on the scene to check on Brinkley's girlfriend and her three children. The incident was reported around 9:30 p.m. Friday night and searchers have been combing Brinkley's property since 10:30 p.m. Friday.

According to the girlfriend, the pair started arguing and Brinkley became violent. He left the residence armed with a Glock pistol, promising his girlfriend he wouldn't be taken by law enforcement alive.

It was a 911 hangup call from one of the girlfriend's children that prompted deputies to respond. Two deputies responding to back-up Kluttz discovered the slain deputy's body behind a sheriff's department cruiser.

Hibriten High School was converted into a sign-in command post, where moer than 120 law enforcement officials from various counties came to get briefed on the manhunt.

Fifteen members of the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office tactical team drove from Lincolnton to Lenoir Saturday afternoon. Just after 5 p.m., the team was preparing to leave Hibriten High School to the on-scene command post at Oak Hill School, which is near Fox Winkler Road.

Sheriff Tim Daugherty, along with Captain Howard Eason and Chief Deputy Barry Taylor, led the convoy of vehicles up Highway 321 to Highway 18 and then to the school. Two tactical team medics were also dispatched with an EMS Quick Response Vehicle (QRV).

"We're going to replace the teams that have been searching for the suspect since last night," said Daugherty.

At the briefing, FBI agents informed the new group of searchers Brinkley had served in Iraq and returned home in May 2007. They also said he had become increasingly violent since his return.

Agents also said that the house Brinkley shared with his girlfriend, as well as a barn and a new house under construction on the 3 acres of property, are now secured.

Authorities believe Brinkley is armed with at least two rifles and a handgun.

Teams are planning to stay at Hibriten High School overnight as the search continues.

If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of Skip Brinkley contact the
Caldwell County Sheriff's Office
at 828-758-2324.