North Carolina man charged with 9 felonies after shooting at tree crew

YANCEY COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) — A tree-trimming crew in North Carolina had a harrowing encounter when a man with a criminal record opened fire on them.

This happened near Murphytown in the Green Mountain area of Yancey County. According to a statement from the Yancey County Sheriff’s Office, 36-year-old Lucas Wilson Murphy shot three tree workers while they were clearing trees for a power company.

All three sustained serious injuries. They were taken to a hospital for treatment.

31-year-old Shelby Teague, whose husband Brandon Teague, 32, was part of the five-member crew, is still grappling with the incident. The couple have three children together.

“To have somebody crazy running through the woods is not a risk that you would think about,” she told ABC affiliate WLOS

She is thankful her husband wasn’t hurt, but three of his colleagues were.

“I’m trying not to be angry,” Shelby said. “We could have lost a bunch of good men.”

Authorities said during the exchange, an officer-involved shooting happened. Murphy was injured and taken to a hospital.

Murphy is charged with nine felony counts detailing that he assaulted five crew members with a long rifle with intent to kill.

Previous Criminal History

Shelby is angry Murphy was not in jail for previous charges.

Murphy’s misdemeanors, dating back to 2013, carry little to no jail time. This includes resisting public officers, driving while intoxicated and carrying a concealed weapon.

In 2021, the most serious case where he went to trial involved a charge that he shot and tried to kill his brother.

A law enforcement source who spoke anonymously told WLOS that Murphy’s brother refused to cooperate and minimized what happened.

Because of this, the jury could only find him guilty of assault.