A basketball coach and teacher at a charter school in North Carolina was killed in a shootout with a drug cartel last Thursday, police told WBTV, the CBS-affiliated TV station in Charlotte, North Carolina. The violence took place after a house raid took place in a mobile park.
Barney Dale Harris, the basketball and track coach of the Union Academy Charter School, was pronounced dead at the scene. Alonso Beltran Lara was taken to a local hospital after sustaining injuries, but eventually died as well. The sheriff’s deputies in Alamance County said both men were shot inside the trailer.
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Union Academy Charter School issued a statement following the news of the incident.
“Union Academy’s first priority is the care and protection of our students and staff. Earlier today, law enforcement officials released details of the death of one of our teachers, Barney Dale Harris II, last week,” the statement said. “The Union Academy family was shocked and devastated to hear the information and will continue to support their students and families. Any questions about the investigation should be directed to law enforcement.”
According to sheriff’s detectives, both Harris and Lara were apparently part of two separate criminal operations. The sheriff said Lara was a drug lord for the Sinaloa New Generation Cartel and that the trailer was allegedly the warehouse.
Harris and a group of people were allegedly at home stealing drugs and money, which according to detectives led to the shootout that killed both Harris and Lara. During the investigation, the sheriff’s office seized 1.2 kilograms of cocaine, five rifles and approximately $ 7,000 in cash.
Steven Alexander Stewart Jr. was also linked to the crime and he was arrested and charged Sunday with first-degree burglary. The next day, he is charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a criminal. He is currently in the Alamance County Detention Center, which is being held unrelated.
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The two vehicles involved in the incident were also found.
During a press conference on Wednesday, the sheriff announced the connection to a Mexican drug cartel, and he said there were no other injuries due to the alleged shooting, but some other trailers were hit with bullets.
The case is currently underway and additional charges are possible, the sheriff’s office concluded.