A North Carolina man was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for a violent 2023 ambush that left two Robeson County Sheriff’s deputies wounded and sparked a dramatic escape attempt, federal officials announced Monday.
Shawn Tobin Locklear Jr., now 21, pleaded guilty to using a firearm during a crime of violence and possessing a machine gun in furtherance of drug trafficking. U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan handed down the sentence following the guilty plea.
The charges stem from an incident on November 7, 2023, when deputies attempted to arrest Locklear, who was out on bond at the time. Body‑camera footage and court records show he opened fire on the officers from behind a tree, striking both deputies multiple times.
After the deputies were wounded, Locklear jumped into their patrol car, put it in reverse, and ran over one of them. He then intercepted the ambulance that was responding to the scene, commandeered it, and drove himself to the hospital, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Both deputies survived and have since returned to duty. The case highlighted concerns over Locklear’s repeated pretrial releases on serious charges before the 2023 attack.
Locklear still faces separate state charges in Robeson County, including attempted murder.