A North Carolina teacher was shot dead in a shootout last week with members of a Mexican drug cartel, a report said.
Barney Harris, who taught and taught basketball at the Union Academy in Monroe, and his brother-in-law Steven Stewart allegedly tried to use drugs and cash from a trailer used by the cartel when hell broke out last Thursday. WTVD. with reference to authorities.
Harris and Stewart infiltrated the wagon into a park in Alamance County but were confronted shortly afterwards by alleged 18-year-old cartel member Alonso Lara, sheriff Terry Johnson told reporters at a news conference Wednesday.
The in-laws allegedly executed Lara when he refused to tell them where their stock was hidden, Johnson said.
Other cartel members then showed up and caused a shootout that left Harris dead.
“Mr Harris, he’s wearing a bulletproof vest, but it does not work with the type of ammunition used,” Johnson told reporters.
“They went there to do what was done, except they did not think it would fall back on them.”
Stewart was arrested after the shooting and charged with murder and armed robbery, the report said.
Johnson said one of the other residents of the trailer, Daniel Lara, was wanted because of the cocaine trade. There is a warrant for his arrest.
The sheriff said he believed Daniel Lara may have fled to Mexico.
Authorities seized about two pounds of cocaine and $ 7,000 from the trailer.
Johnson said he was concerned the cartel could strike back.
“I’m still worried about retaliation because they do not forget the Mexican cartels,” Johnson said.
“They’re going to repay someone, and I’m very much concerned as sheriff of this country.”