In Haywood County, North Carolina, a tense situation unfolded when deputies encountered a man reported missing earlier this month. It ended tragically after reports of a suspicious person led authorities to him.
On December 13, the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons issued a missing endangered alert for 42-year-old Michael Anthony Shope and his 9-year-old daughter, Altani “Ali” Dotsikas. The two had been missing since December 3, when they were last seen at the Budget Motel on Underwood Road in Fletcher, North Carolina. Authorities believed Shope was going through a mental health crisis, and they suspected the pair might be heading to Greenville, South Carolina, or Atlanta, Georgia.
Fast forward to Friday, December 15, around 3 p.m., when deputies from the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a suspicious person near the Harmon Den horse camp. When they arrived, they discovered it was Shope. According to the sheriff’s office, he was armed with a knife and, in a shocking turn of events, attacked one of the deputies. Thankfully, the deputy’s protective vest shielded them from serious injury. However, as Shope continued his attack, the deputy fired their service weapon, striking Shope.
Despite immediate requests for EMS to respond, Shope was pronounced dead at the scene.
On a brighter note, Haywood County authorities confirmed later that evening, around 10 p.m., that Altani “Ali” Dotsikas had been found safe, bringing some relief in a situation otherwise marked by tragedy.
This case remains under active investigation, with the Fletcher Police Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation working alongside Haywood County authorities to uncover more details about what happened.
