Deputy Logan Fox, 25, was shot and killed on 4/28/21 while conducting a welfare check at the home of Hardman Circle at 9:44 a.m.. Sergeant Chris Ward, 36, was also shot and killed. Sergeant Ward, an eight-year veteran in the field of law enforcement, died about 9:00 p.m. after he was airlifted to Johnson City Medical Center in Tennessee where he succumbed to his injuries and Deputy Fox died at the scene. A third officer was also shot, but was not injured due to the bullet hitting his Kevlar helmet and a shield that blocked a bullet. A coworker of the homeowner had requested the welfare check after the man did not report to work and was not answering the phone. Responding officers discovered all the vehicles belonging to the owner in the driveway. As Sergeant Ward and Deputy Fox entered the home to check on the occupants both were shot. Backup officers were able to extract Sergeant Ward from the home but were unable to reach Deputy Fox. The suspect, Isaac Alton Barnes, 32, barricaded himself inside the house and continued to shot at law enforcement officers who were on the perimeter during the 13 hour standoff. When gun fire stopped for about 30 minutes, authorities sent in a robot that showed someone lying on the bed. After deploying tear gas and seeing no movement from within the house, law enforcement officials entered the building. Barnes died of a self – inflicted gun shot wound after killing his mother, Michelle Annette Ligon, 61, and stepfather George Wyatt Ligon, 58. The standoff ended just before 11:00 pm. Watauga County Sheriff’s Officer Deputy Logan Fox was hired as a part-time deputy at the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office on July 10, 2017 at the age of 21. He was promoted to full-time on September 1, 2017 and left in good standing to go o the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office on August 30, 2019. Logan Fox was just 14 years old when he was awarded the Community Service and Impact Award from his hometown of Beech Mountain. He graduated BLET at Wilkesboro Community College with the highest GPA of his class. Duputy Fox was partnered with K9 Raven. Sergeant Ward is a father of two, ages 19 and 5 and began his career at the Beech Mountain Police Department in 2013, later moving on to the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office where he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Approximately 15 law enforcement agencies surrounded the home during the standoff. Deputy Logan’s K9 Raven attended the funeral with other K9’S. Donations to Officer Fox may be made in care of the Watauga County Sheriff’s Department, 184 Hodges Gap Road, Boone, N.C. 28607, to Tim Fox or Anneliese Moody
Just days before the deadly shooting Isaac Alton Barnes attacked his father with a knife. Law enforcement was notified because he was concerned about his son. Family members warned the county sheriff’s office that his son was experiencing a mental breakdown and could be dangerous if approached. The father, Joseph Barnes, at the time, was trying to decide whether to have Isaac arrested for the alleged assault or pursue an involuntary commitment. The father then went to a magistrate but decided not to pursue the involuntary commitment.
