Woman kidnaps driver at gunpoint before trooper-involved shooting on I-40, authorities say

BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — A woman was involved in several crashes along Interstate 40 Tuesday morning before kidnapping someone and forcing them to drive farther down the interstate, state troopers said. That woman was then involved in a shooting with a state trooper, according to Burke County sheriff’s deputies.

The shooting happened around 7 a.m. along I-40 in Burke County near the town of Hildebran, law enforcement told Channel 9. A woman, later identified as Keisha Brown, 45, was flown to the hospital shortly afterward, firefighters said.

Reporter Dave Faherty was at the scene where several state highway patrol vehicles and a medical helicopter could be seen on the interstate and on-ramp near Exit 118 in Hildebran. The eastbound lanes of I-40 were shut down for more than four hours.

Witnesses and law enforcement told Faherty that Brown, who was hospitalized, was in a different vehicle initially in Burke and McDowell counties. That car was involved in several crashes along the interstate, they said.

Then a driver pulled over to check on her when the victim was kidnapped.

Brown jumped in the bed of the truck and forced the driver at gunpoint to drive east along I-40, according to troopers. At the scene, Faherty could see the pickup truck that person was driving. It had crime scene tape around it as officers investigated.

Sgt. Aaron Johnson with the North Carolina Highway Patrol then got to the scene. Authorities said Brown fired shots at the sergeant, who returned fire, striking her.

Brown was taken to a hospital and is stable. Once she is released from the hospital, she will be charged with first-degree kidnapping and first-degree attempted murder.

Johnson, a 19-year veteran stationed in Burke County, was not hurt, troopers said.

Johnson was placed on administrative leave, which is protocol after a member-involved shooting.

Jason Moore told Faherty the woman hit him while he was on his morning commute.

“Just going to work, regular day, and I see headlights come up on me really quick,” Moore said. “I never in a million years thought she was going to hit me. So she hits me and passes me, I guess, in the grass.”

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The SBI is overseeing the ongoing investigation.

Motorist Rich Bohne, who tried to avoid the backups, said he will think twice about stopping to help others.

“(To) change a spare tire and stuff like that but now, you can’t do it,” Bohne said. “You don’t know what’s going happen.”

This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

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