BY MIKE FUHRMAN
A man suspected of murdering two people in Mooresville on Saturday was shot and killed by Iredell County Sheriff’s Office deputies after a standoff at his home early Sunday morning.
Three deputies opened fire, fatally wounding Justin Michael Strawser, 39, about 5:49 a.m. as he was exiting his home and shooting at deputies, Sheriff Darren Campbell said.
Four juveniles were fleeing the home at 1580 Ostwalt Amity Road in Cleveland when Strawser started shooting, the sheriff added.
“When he came out shooting, deputies fired and killed him,” Campbell said.
During the eight-hour standoff, Strawser had fired dozens of rounds from an AR-15 in the direction of deputies, striking several vehicles, the sheriff said. The suspect was wearing a bulletproof vest when he was killed.
The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the officer-involved shooting at the request of Sheriff Campbell. Three deputies have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is standard procedure.
The early morning shooting ended a standoff that began about 9:38 p.m. Saturday after deputies located a vehicle believed to have been involved in the double homicide near Mooresville.
About 6:30 p.m. Saturday, deputies were dispatched to 109 Home Drive for a report of shots being fired.
When deputies arrived at the residence, they found an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound on the back porch. He was transported to Lake Norman Regional Medical Center by Iredell County EMS personnel.
After entering the home, deputies found two men who had been fatally wounded. All three shooting victims had been bound, Campbell said.
The ICSO identified the deceased individuals as Eduardo Cordova, 22, of Mooresville and Caleb Loper, 24, of Lincolnton.
Campbell said the shooting in southern Iredell County was not a random crime. Strawser and the victims knew each other. Narcotics and robbery were a possible motive, the sheriff added.
After deputies located a white SUV tied to the shooting at Strawser’s home, the residence was surrounded and the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team was called to the scene. Over the ensuing hours deputies attempted to get the suspect — who made statements to negotiators about his involvement in the Home Drive shootings — to surrender.
After negotiations failed, gas was introduced to the house by deputies. The juveniles then fled the home and Strawser began shooting, prompting deputies to return fire, Campbell said.
Strawser had several pending criminal charges, including felony possession of a weapon of mass destruction, felony breaking and entering, and felony assault by strangulation.