HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW)
A man who died in an exchange of gunfire with Henderson County Sheriff’s deputies earlier this month died by suicide, according to his death certificate.
Hayden Elias Brook, 29, died of a gunshot wound to the head at 7:39 p.m. April 13, 2024, at 3908 North Mills River Road. The death certificate lists his manner of death as suicide, stating that he shot himself with a handgun.
Henderson County authorities said Brook died at the scene.
A news release after the shooting said deputies responded to a report of a person with a gun threatening people at North Mills River Campground.
Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin said in a Facebook post last week deputies responding to the scene encountered a vehicle they believed to be occupied by the suspect and attempted to stop it before it fled on North Mills River Road toward Mills River. The vehicle crashed shortly after deputies attempted to stop it.
“Immediately after the deputies exited their marked patrol vehicles, the suspect identified as Hayden Elias Brook began discharging a weapon,” Griffin said in the social media post.
Deputies attempted to render medical aid to Brook before medical care was turned over to personnel from the Henderson County Emergency Medical Service and Mills River Fire and Rescue, Griffin said.
The sheriff identified the deputies involved in the incident as: Lance Cpl. Zachary Tatham, Deputy Stephen McDonald and Deputy Conner Newman.
According to personnel records, Tatham, 33, was hired as a senior deputy in October 2021. He was promoted to master deputy in March 2023 and was reclassified to shift detective in April of that year.
Records indicate McDonald, 25, was hired in December 2022 as a deputy 2. He transferred to patrol/MR in February 2023 and a K9 position in June 2023.
According to records, Newman, 23, was hired as a deputy trainee in August 2021. He transferred to patrol in July 2022 and patrol/MR in February 2023.