Bio & Incident Details
Age: 47
Tour: 22 years
Badge # Not available
Cause: Gunfire
Incident Date: 9/23/1997
Weapon: Rifle; AK-47
Suspect: Sentenced to death
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Sergeant Lowry and Deputy David Hathcock were shot and killed during a traffic stop which Sergeant Lowry initiated. Sergeant Lowry had stopped a car on I-95 at Exit 52 in Fayetteville and called for backup after discovering that it was stolen. Deputy Hathcock arrived and took the passenger out of the car as Sergeant Lowry took the driver out. As they attempted to handcuff the two suspects a fight broke out and the passenger was able to return to the vehicle and retrieve a fully automatic AK-47. He opened fire on both officers striking them several times. The driver then took Sergeant Lowry's weapon and shot both officers several more times at close range before fleeing.
A passing motorist who witnessed the incident called police from a cell phone and followed the suspects, even after being fired upon, until other officers began a chase. Both suspects were arrested after a brief foot chase when their vehicle spun out of control when they attempted to take an exit. The two suspects were 18 and 19 and were brothers from Virginia who had just robbed a bank in South Carolina.
On April 29, 1998, both brothers were convicted of two counts of capital murder, armed robbery, possession of a stolen car, shooting into an occupied vehicle and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. On May 13, 1998, they were both sentenced to death. One of the suspects had his sentence reduced to life in prison in 2005 when the United States Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitional to execute convicted murderers who committed their crimes as juveniles.
Trooper Lowry had served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for 22 years. He is survived by his wife and children.
Related Line of Duty Deaths
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Corporal David Walter Hathcock |
