DEPUTY'S WEAPON ACCIDENTALLY FIRED DURING DRUG RAID

An undercover Onslow County deputy accidentally fired a single round
from his .45-caliber handgun during a drug raid Friday at a home on
Oxford Drive, Sheriff Ed Brown said.

"Because drug dealers are known to be armed, narcotic agents are
required to be ready to respond immediately," Brown said. "The first
agent entering the residence had his handgun drawn and pointing
upward. During the entry process that agent bumped his arm on
something causing his (weapon) to discharge one time."

The shot did not hit anyone, but there was minor property damage,
Brown said, adding that damage will be repaired at the expense of the
Sheriff's Department.

The incident has been investigated, he said, adding that the deputy
would not be reprimanded.

Deputies made two arrests and seized 525 grams of cocaine during the
raid, according to warrants.

Marcel Jackson, 31, of Oxford Drive, and Adrean Lindon Pope, 26,
Kellum Loop Road, were charged by the Sheriff's Department with
several felonies including trafficking cocaine, manufacturing
cocaine, resisting a public official, conspiracy, and possession of
drug paraphernalia.

Jackson and Pope were being investigated by the Sheriff's Department
on suspicion of drug trafficking, and the Oxford Drive home was under
surveillance Friday, Brown said.

Deputies watched as Jackson stood in his yard and Pope removed a
package from the house and hid it under a bush at an adjacent home,
Brown said. The package contained a large amount of cocaine, he said.

Pope was then arrested in the yard, but Jackson went back inside and
would not answer the door for deputies with a search warrant, Brown said.

Deputies entered the house, and one of them accidentally fired his
weapon at that time, Brown said.

The identity of the deputy who discharged his firearm was not
released because Brown said the deputy routinely did undercover narcotics work.

Bond for Jackson and Pope was set at $165,000 each.