A man died after being shot by Sampson County deputies in Faison. 

Around 3:00 a.m., deputies arrived to a call at the Dollar General Market on Faison Highway, in Sampson County. A 22-year-old man was armed with a knife, according to witnesses. 

Deputies shot the man, and he later died. The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) was called to the scene.

Family members identified the man shot and killed as Shawn West Jr.

“He could change my frown into a smile all the time,” said West’s stepmother, Onajea Thomas.

Thomas added, “I just want answers. I’m just trying to figure out [and] piece together why he got shot.”

According to the family members, West struggled mentally and checked into a hospital on Monday. They said he was released on Thursday and was not feeling like himself, having suicidal thoughts. They say he went to the DG Market and called 911 looking for help. The SBI said deputies responded to that 911 call. 

Two deputies have been put on administrative leave while the SBI investigates the shooting.

The West family said they’re not getting answers from the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office and have not seen West’s body.

“I want to see what you did to him,” one family member told WRAL News. “Why are you trying to hide his body and not answering … questions? Like, why was he shot so many times? Where did you shoot him?”

The SBI said it hopes to finish its investigation quickly. Authorities said it may take several months before the autopsy on West is finished.

Neighbor Paul Darden told WRAL News that the gunshots woke him up on Thursday morning. Darden estimated he heard “20 or more gunshots.”

Law enforcement has not indicated how many shots were fired.

“This is the country,” Darden said. “This don’t happen like this. It’s something new. This doesn’t happen in the country like that.”

WRAL News has requested the 911 call to learn what West said to dispatchers before law enforcement responded to the scene.

If you’re having suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis, call or text 988 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. Veterans can press “1” after dialing 988 to connect directly to the Veterans Crisis Lifeline. For texts, veterans should continue to text the Veterans Crisis Lifeline short code: 838255.