International Paper at Riegelwood was briefly locked down Tuesday after an armed woman in a stolen car allegedly fired shots on the plant property and fled.
Joanna Brooke English, 38, of Kidder Street, Wilmington, is being held under $13,000 secured bond, detention records show. She faces charges of simple assault. Assault with a deadly weapon, communicating threats, failure to appear, possession of a stolen vehicle, larceny of a firearm, and misdemeanor larceny in New Hanover and Columbus counties.
The sheriff’s office reported that deputies were called to the plant at 11:30 a.m. to a report of an “active shooter.” IP security guards Leroy McFadden, Shaponica Council and Wallace Coverdale were alerted to a suspicious vehicle on the facility, and went to investigate.
When the guards confronted English, she allegedly fired several shots from the vehicle, including one directed at the three guards, according to the warrant. She then drove away.
Deputies intercepted her at the Scotchman store on N.C. 87 in Riegelwood, but she evaded law enforcement. English is alleged to have backed into a deputy’s car, and brandished at least one of the two stolen handguns toward a deputy attempting to perform a traffic stop.
She was eventually stopped a short distance away at N.C. 87 and Delco School Road. English had a stolen 1911 semi-automatic handgun and a Ruger .357 revolver, according to the warrant.
Wilmington Police reported that English was wanted for stealing a firearm, car keys and a vehicle from a North Second Street home.
No one was injured in the shooting or pursuit.
