Wildlife Officer Fatally Shoots Hunter in Wilkes

By Ron Fitzwater

In a statement released early Monday morning, the North Carolina State Wildlife Resources Commission reported that 12-year veteran wildlife officer Mark Minton was acting in self-defense when he shot and killed a hunter Saturday morning in the Cane Creek area of Wilkes County.

Preliminary reports from the commission state that an armed confrontation took place while Minton was patrolling on Cane Creek Road at shortly after 7 a.m., encountered 76-year-old Clyde Coffey of Lenoir. The confrontation resulted in Minton shooting Coffey once, mortally wounding him.

A law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity said, "During his patrol Minton discovered Coffey allegedly hunting turkey from a tree stand and baiting the birds underneath it, both illegal during Spring Turkey Season. Minton ordered Coffey to exit the tree to which the hunter allegedly responded that if he came down he would shoot Minton."

Coffey reportedly exited the tree stand and began to advance on the officer, continuing to threaten him with his weapon as Minton repeatedly ordered him to stop. At some point Minton found himself unable to retreat any further and fired on Coffey.

In a statement to the press NCWRC officer Capt. Rusty Hunter said, "There is no evidence to suggest the officer confused the hunter with an animal. It appears, from all information gathered, the officer was protecting himself."

Saturday was the first day of Spring Turkey Season in the state and Minton was on patrol in the area checking for hunting violations when he entered property owned by Coffey's family, where the incident took place. Area residents listening to their police scanners reported hearing Minton's urgent calls for backup and medical assistance for Coffey following the shooting.

Administrative Captain M. Cardwell of the Wilkes County Sheriff's Department said that the call for assistance from Minton "came in at 7:35 a.m." that a shooting had taken place and that assistance and medical first responders were needed on scene. According to Cardwell, Wilkes County Deputies were first to arrive on the scene where they discovered Coffey dead from a single gunshot. Cardwell would not disclose any specifics about the scene deferring to the Wilkes County District Attorney's Office. Attempts to obtain comment from the WCDA as of yet have been unsuccessful.

WCSD remained on scene until around noon, when the incident scene and investigation was taken over by the State Bureau of Investigation, (required when a state officer is involved in an on-duty shooting).

The investigation of the incident remains in the hands of the SBI.

Jennifer Canada of the North Carolina Department of Justice confirmed that the incident had taken place and that it was under investigation by the SBI, but declined to offer any additional information saying, "it is our policy not to comment on ongoing investigations."