Suspect in shooting of Robeson County deputies appears virtually in court, bonds revoked

The man accused of shooting two Robeson County deputies appeared virtually in court Wednesday.

Shawn Tobin Locklear, 20, is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon after the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office said he shot two deputies on Nov. 7 while they were serving an outstanding arrest warrant. One of the deputies was also hit by the patrol car that Locklear stole.

On Monday, Locklear was released from the hospital.

Deputies Jonathan Walters, 37, and Kaelin Locklear, 23, are recovering at home from their injuries. While Shawn Locklear and Kaelin Locklear share the same last name, they are not related.

Before the Nov. 7 shooting, Shawn Locklear was out on bond after being charged with murder and robbery in 2022. Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said Locklear had cut off his ankle monitor.

On Wednesday, the judge revoked all bonds against Shawn Locklear.

The mother of one of the deputies told the court that Shawn Locklear made threats that if he gets out, he is coming to finish the job against her son.

Attorney Johnson Britt is representing Shawn Locklear.

"He was put on pre-trial release in the murder case," Britt said of Shawn Locklear. "One, because of his age and his lack of a record, and he's got a legitimate self-defense claim in that matter."

Britt said Shawn Locklear has appeared in court when he's supposed to show up.

According to Britt, Shawn Locklear had to undergo emergency surgery after getting shot while exchanging gunfire with Robeson County deputies on Nov. 7.

Shawn Locklear is due in court next on Dec. 1.

"In the end, let's look at [and] see what all the evidence is," Britt said. "What can they prove?"