There was a deputy-involved shooting on Thursday afternoon, June 11, 2026, in the Peachtree community (Ferguson Road area) of Cherokee County, North Carolina.

According to Cherokee County Sheriff Chris Wood and local news reports:

• Deputies responded around 4:20 p.m. to a welfare check at a residence involving school-aged children. Additional information indicated a woman at the home had allegedly pointed a firearm at her girlfriend.
• Deputies encountered 41-year-old Trista Danielle Hughes of Murphy, NC, in a Toyota pickup truck in the driveway.
• As a deputy approached and issued commands, Hughes produced a Glock handgun and pointed it at him.
• The deputy fired multiple rounds in response to the immediate threat, striking Hughes at least once in the chest. The firearm remained inside the vehicle, allowing deputies to safely detain her and secure the weapon.
• The deputy was not injured. Hughes continued to be combative and resisted while deputies and EMS provided medical assistance.
• She was airlifted to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga with non-life-threatening injuries. After treatment, she attempted to leave the hospital and was detained by the Chattanooga Police Department.

Hughes has been charged with assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm; additional charges may follow. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) is conducting an independent investigation. The incident was captured on the deputy’s body camera, as required by department policy.

Sheriff Wood stated that the shooting was in response to an immediate threat and noted: “This incident is not the outcome that anyone wanted… However, it serves as a reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers face every day…” He emphasized the office’s commitment to transparency and said more information would be released as the investigation allows.