HOLLY SPRINGS, NC – A man has been hospitalized following an officer-involved shooting in the parking lot of a Target store in Holly Springs. The individual, identified as 23-year-old Tripp Walker Scheckells, was reportedly acting suspiciously outside the store, prompting employees to call the police.
Holly Springs Police Department stated that two officers, clad in uniform, approached Scheckells in a marked car after receiving calls regarding Scheckells’ suspicious behavior. The events took an alarming turn when Scheckells allegedly drew a handgun, leading both officers to open fire.
Following the shooting, officers Cozy Jackson and Anthony Minchella provided emergency medical aid until Scheckells could be transported to the hospital by additional first responders. The exact nature and severity of Scheckells’ injuries are yet to be disclosed.
Police later discovered that Scheckells had been previously arrested by the Wake County Sheriff’s Office on charges of carrying a concealed gun on April 2.
Both of the officers involved have been placed on administrative leave, as per department policy, while the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation takes over the case. Jackson has been with the Holly Springs Police Department since January 2024 and previously served with another North Carolina law enforcement agency for 2.5 years.
Minchella has been a part of the same department since August 2014. Holly Springs Police Chief Paul J. Liquorie assured a thorough and transparent investigation regarding the incident, emphasizing the department’s commitment to maintaining the trust and safety of the local community.