No charges to be filed against Johnston Co. deputies in man's shooting death during crisis call

No charges will be filed against a Johnston County deputy who shot and killed a Garner man who was reportedly experiencing a mental health crisis back in January. According to Johnston County District Attorney Jason Waller's office, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation agents were called to investigate after Johnston County deputy Derek Leagan shot and killed Antony Richardson while responding to a 911 call. Leagan no longer works for the sheriff's office, according to the DA. The DA's office said Leagan's use of deadly force was justified as self-defense because he and other deputies "were confronted with an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm." The shooting happened on Jan. 25, at a home on Madden Rose Loop south of Garner.

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WilluChill News DeskJohnston County, North Carolina · Published Friday, September 18, 2026 at 4:24 PM UTCUpdated Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 10:06 AM UTC

WilluChill News reporting summary

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1 dead — Antony Richardson She said no one tried to talk him down before they began shooting. ►Related Story: Wife of man fatally shot by Johnston deputies during crisis feels situation was botched Richardson lit up while talking about the day she met her husband, Antony. "He was a transit driver, and he had wrecked his car and he was catching the bus," Richardson said.

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