A Carroll County Sheriff’s deputy was killed Friday night and another was wounded after Michael Puckett opened fire during a welfare check at a home on Fancy Gap Highway, setting off a manhunt in Carroll County Va.
The sheriff’s office said the call came in at about 9:26 p.m. on May 29, 2026, for a welfare check at 13658 Fancy Gap Highway. When two deputies arrived and made contact with Puckett, he fired at both of them. The deputies returned fire, and both were struck.
One deputy was pronounced dead from injuries suffered in the shooting. The second deputy was hit in his ballistic vest, is receiving medical evaluation, and was reported to be stable and expected to be okay. The contrast underscored the night’s outcome: one deputy survived, but another did not.
Authorities have not said what led Puckett to open fire. For now, the investigation remains active and the suspect is still at large. Sheriff Kevin Kemp said Puckett should be considered armed and extremely dangerous, and anyone who sees him or knows where he may be is being told not to approach him and to call 911.
