A North Carolina state trooper who stopped to help a motorist stranded on a highway Monday night was shot by the driver but returned fire and killed him, authorities said.
State Highway Patrol said Trooper Jeffrey Dunlap was helping Wesley Scott Taylor, 57, of Leicester, NC on I-26 in Buncombe County at about 7:35 p.m. when Taylor suddenly pulled a gun and fired, hitting Dunlap in the chest.
But Dunlap was wearing a bulletproof vest, which only stopped round, and Dunlap returned fire.
Taylor was pronounced deceased at the scene and no other suspects were sought, investigators said.
Dunlap, a thirteen-year veteran, was taken to the hospital for observation and was later released.
He is placed on administrative duty, which happens with any soldier-involved shooting, the highway patrol said.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) is conducting an independent investigation into the crash.
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