A Lee County, North Carolina, deputy shot and killed a 13-year-old boy wanted for the murder of his grandmother after the minor lunged at him with a piece of wood during a chase, local authorities reported Friday.

The incident happened Thursday in the Cameron area and will be investigated by the State Bureau of Investigation, as per protocol in incidents involving the lethal use of force by police.

Suspect in Grandmother's Homicide

The case began in Raeford, about 90 miles southwest of Raleigh, when the Hoke County Sheriff's Office responded to a welfare check call at a residence. Upon arrival, deputies found 68-year-old Connie Linen dead and determined it was a homicide.

Investigators identified the victim's 13-year-old grandson as a suspect and obtained an arrest warrant for first-degree murder, according to a press release from the Hoke Sheriff's Office.

Chase and Shootout

Lee County deputies later located the teen behind an abandoned mobile home in rural Cameron. While attempting to stop him, the minor fled on foot. During the pursuit, according to the official report, he grabbed a wooden plank from a yard and lunged at one of the officers, who responded by shooting him. The sheriff's statement describes the teenager as being 6 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 150 pounds. His identity, as well as that of the officer involved, has not been released. Hooke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil expressed his regret over the outcome and asked for calm from the community. “This has been a tragic and emotional situation for everyone involved. We ask for compassion and understanding as we all come to terms with this difficult event,” he stated, according to AP. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not indicated whether the officer involved was temporarily suspended while the case is reviewed.