SPENCER — The name of the officer involved in a shooting that occurred just after 6:30 p.m. July 8 on Charles Street in front of North Rowan Elementary School and the department’s internal investigation has cleared him.
A single car crash was reported at 6:39 p.m. that evening, and according to Spencer Police Chief Michael File, “within minutes of arrival, fire department personnel requested an emergency response by law enforcement.” Fire Chief Michael Lanning subsequently explained that his staff was “met with a male aggressive in nature and armed with a hammer.” They backed away in order to protect themselves and asked that law enforcement update from a routine response to an emergency one.
File has said an East Spencer officer was the closest and responded to the call, which had escalated, resulting in the officer shooting Jesse Duane Soderstrom, 45, of Spencer, who was transported from the scene to Rowan Regional Medical Center where he died.
The East Spencer officer has been identified by the NC State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) as Sgt. Tyler A. Lewis. The SBI is conducting an independent investigation, and spokesman Chad Flowers said he does not anticipate that will be concluded for at least several weeks.
However, East Spencer Police Chief John Fewell said Friday that his department’s internal investigation concluded that Lewis “acted according to all proper protocols, and he will return to duty” Saturday, July 26.
Fewell described Lewis as “excellent police, and one of the two longest serving officers under my leadership.”
The Spencer Police Department is the investigating agency of the motor vehicle accident and anything that may have caused it, but until the state investigation is complete, no further details will be released.
