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The officer-involved shooting that occurred early Thursday morning along N.C. Highway 73 resulted in the death of 22-year-old Ghassan Radwan Baba of Albemarle, according to a press release from the State Highway Patrol.

Trooper Micheal R. McCormick responded to a traffic collision involving a car in a ditch around 1:45 a.m. on N.C. 73 near Lowell Road. He called for assistance and a Stanly County sheriff’s deputy arrived on the scene shortly after.

McCormick observed Baba to be in “possession of a firearm in his waistband,” per the press release. Baba allegedly turned around and started to shoot at the deputy and trooper.

“The trooper and deputy attempted to take the suspect into custody, at which point the suspect fled on foot from the crash scene and fired multiple gunshots at law enforcement personnel,” the press release stated. “Responding officers returned fire and the suspect was struck. Authorities secured the suspect and began life-saving procedures until emergency personnel arrived. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical responders.”

Neither McCormick, a four-year veteran stationed in Stanly County, nor the officer were injured in the incident.

“In accordance with agency protocol in any trooper-involved shooting, Trooper McCormick has been placed on administrative duty pending an internal investigation and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has been asked to conduct an independent investigation.”