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EURE – A four-hour standoff with a man who had hidden underneath a residence after firing shots outside his place of employment ended with an arrest near here Monday night.

Gates County Sheriff Ray Campbell said that 32-year-old Awet Hagos was safely taken into custody. Hagos stands charged with three counts of assault on a government official, three counts of resisting a public officer, and carrying a concealed weapon.

Hagos was placed under a $100,000 secured bond and transported to Albemarle District Jail.

Campbell said the incident is still under investigation and additional charges may be pending.

At around 6:40 pm, deputies from the Gates County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the Quick Stop convenience store, located along US 13 South near Barfield Road, for reported gunshots. Campbell said the responding deputies were informed that a part-time employee of the store had been outside the store discharging a firearm.

“Upon arrival, the deputies and a Trooper with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol attempted to take the suspect into to custody,” Campbell said. “However, the suspect became extremely combative and at one point attempted to disarm a deputy of their firearm. The suspect then fled into a small camper located adjacent to the business.”

Due to the situation, US 13 was blocked off to motorists.

After approximately a four-hour standoff, Hagos was safely taken into custody, Campbell said.

“At first we believed he was still inside the camper, but thanks to the Ahoskie Police, their drone, that has an infrared camera, spotted him attempting to crawl out from underneath a home next door,” Campbell said. “That allowed us to focus our attention there and we were able to get him to come out.

“The best thing was that all the law enforcement officers on the scene were able to go home safe and sound and the suspect was apprehended safely,” Campbell added.

The Sheriff said Hagos just recently relocated to Gates County from Oakland, California, taking a part-time job at the Quick Stop.

“We would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the Hertford County Sheriff’s Office, Ahoskie Police Department, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and the Eure Volunteer Fire Department for their help in bringing this incident to a safe conclusion,” Campbell stated.