DARE COUNTY, N.C. — Tuesday, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation confirmed 44-year-old Sylvester Demetrius Selby as the victim in a deadly shooting involving a deputy with the Dare County Sheriff's Office.
According to the sheriff's office, authorities responded to Burnside Road near the center of Manteo for reports of trespassing on a property. According to a DCSO spokesperson, Selby was allegedly seen holding a knife and "came after" deputies before being shot and dying at the scene.
Ebony Selby, a sister of Demetrius, told 13News Now it was not unusual to see him on the property he was shot and killed on, as the property belonged to their larger extended family dating back generations.
“He was not trespassing, he’s been there for years. This is one of our family properties, so he’s been going there most of his life. Our family has owned this property, passed down for generations," Ebony said.
His sisters, looking on at a memorial of flowers and balloons outside the property, added that Demetrius had mental health complications but that he was known as non-violent among the community.
"Non violent, they [authorities] knew that. They absolutely knew that," Radasha Gregory said.
"He has been diagnosed with mental health issues," Ebony said, adding that her brother was staying with her at the time of the shooting.
Family members also said it was unclear where the reports of a trespasser came from, but that the family members living on the property knew Demetrius well.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) responded to the shooting scene and is looking into what happened. The deputy involved is on administrative leave, the Dare County Sheriff's Office said.
So far this year, the NCSBI said it has investigated nearly 40 shootings involving law enforcement across the state, compared to 56 such incidents last year.
Demetrius' death is at least the fourth death among the extended family within the last two years.
In December of 2021, a deadly triple shooting took the lives of Takeyia Berry, 39, and Allura Pledger, 3, who are Demetrius' sister and niece, respectively.
Ricky Lewis Etheridge Jr., 34, was taken into custody in Norfolk weeks later and charged with their murders, as well as the death of another 18-year-old.
In January 2023, Aonesty Selby — Demetrius' youngest of three daughters — was reported missing and later found dead near a hiking trail in Isle of Wight County. This came only days after her 18th birthday.
A judge found Andarius McClelland not competent to stand trial in August, months after he was arrested and reportedly told investigators he shot Aonesty following an argument.
“It [Aonesty's death] set us all back, but it didn’t help his mental health, at all," Selby said.
A vigil was held in honor of Demetrius' life Tuesday night, including many members of the larger extended family.