The Moore County Sheriff’s Office has announced that it has concluded its investigation into the shooting death of a man on Dowd Road in May. Ramzan Daraev, 35, of Chicago, was shot and killed on the evening of May 3, 2024 at the residence of a U.S. Army Special Forces solider just outside of Carthage.
In a press release, the MCSO says after an extensive investigation that included looking at evidence from the scene, digital evidence, witness statements, and the pattern of gunshot wounds and shell casings, no charges will be filed against the homeowner involved in the incident. Authorities say that the homeowner was justified in the shooting based on “reasonable belief of the homeowner, considering the totality of the facts known to the homeowner at the time of the shooting, and the North Carolina Castle Doctrine.”
The North Carolina Castle Doctrine allows for the “use of defensive force in situations where there is a perceived imminent threat to personal and family safety within one’s home or property.”
Moore County News first reported the story from the scene on May 3, 2024. On May 30, 2024, MCSO released a 911 call from the incident. Sheriff Ronnie Fields said in press release at that time, that the caller indicated an individual was taking photographs on their property and had become aggressive towards another resident outside their home.
When deputies arrived, they discovered the body of Daraev, who appeared to have sustained gunshot wounds. Daraev was found approximately 250 yards from the roadway, along a powerline on the residential property. Identification was not found on Daraev, however, his identity was later confirmed through family members and an international identification located in his vehicle.
According to the press release, Daraev was reported to have been working as a subcontractor for Utilities One, a company based in New Jersey, at the time of his death. Investigators are still working to verify his official employment status. At the time of the incident, Daraev was not in possession of any utility equipment, utility clothing, or identification. The incident has been reported to the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) was contacted concerning the incident and they provided a translator to assist with interviews of other reported Utilities One employees.
The newest press release from MCSO released today says, “the confrontation escalated when Daraev reportedly became agitated and lunged at the homeowner after repeatedly refusing to leave the property. The homeowner reported firing several shots in response to Daraev’s advance.”
MCSO says the investigation revealed Daraev “was taking pictures of power poles in the direction of the residence, which was reportedly perceived by the homeowner as taking pictures of the home and homeowner’s children. Reports from the homeowner indicated that Daraev had been much closer to the house than depicted in the last photograph held by Utilities One. It was reported that Daraev took pictures closer to the home, just under a quarter mile (0.21 miles) from the roadway, but investigators were unable to access his phone to determine if they were taken but not uploaded to Utilities One. The last known image reportedly taken at the residence and provided by Utilities One was taken at 8:07 PM, several minutes before the initial encounter between the homeowner and Daraev, and about 20 minutes before the reported time of the fatal encounter. The power line being photographed by Daraev at the time of the shooting was not the primary line along the roadway, but an independent feed leading only to the homeowner’s residence.”
“Business records indicate that Daraev was conducting legitimate utility work in the area at the time, although there was nothing on his person or in his vehicle indicating that he was conducting utility work. Daraev was employed by Cable Warriors, a subcontractor of Utilities One, and was conducting surveys as part of Brightspeed’s fiber optic expansion into the Carthage area of Moore County,” according to the MCSO press release. “Additionally, maps obtained related to Daraev’s intended work area included a power pole approximately 115 feet from the residence, consistent with where the homeowner reported first seeing Daraev. Other recovered images indicated that it was common practice for this group to conduct utility work after dark with no evidence that any property owners were notified. Other workers in the utility industry told investigators that conducting utility work near dark on or near private property, especially during nonemergency activities, without identifying clothing and without notifying the homeowner is not common practice.”
To read the entire press released regarding the conclusion of the investigation, click here.
Portions of this story were contributed.
