Bear Creek, NC – The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office has charged the suspect involved in a prolonged standoff with deputies on May 21, 2025, in the Bear Creek community.
Paul Lawrence Rader, 47, of 1535 Lambert Chapel Road, Siler City, has been charged with two counts of felony attempted first-degree murder; one count of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill; six counts of felony discharge of a weapon into occupied property; and one count of misdemeanor injury to real property
The charges stem from a nine-hour incident that began around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, when deputies attempted to serve an involuntary commitment order at Rader’s residence. As deputies were speaking with family members outside the home, Rader began firing from a travel trailer on the property.
Over the course of the standoff, hundreds of rounds were discharged, including shots fired directly at law enforcement officers. Two Chatham County deputies returned fire during the incident, once early on and again near the end of the standoff, which concluded shortly after midnight on May 22.
Rader was struck by gunfire, taken into custody, and transported to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill for treatment. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. As of this release, Rader remains hospitalized and has not yet been formally served with the charges.
No deputies or bystanders were physically injured during the incident.
Three separate investigations are currently underway. The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a criminal investigation into the incident. An internal investigation is also being conducted by CCSO to ensure that all policies and procedures were properly followed. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) is conducting an independent review of the officer-involved shooting, which is standard procedure in such incidents.
At this time, the names of the deputies involved in the shooting are not being released pending the completion of ongoing investigations.
“We’re grateful this incredibly dangerous situation did not result in loss of life,” said Sheriff Mike Roberson. “Our deputies exercised courage and professionalism in the face of an unpredictable threat, and we’re thankful for the support of our neighboring agencies that helped bring this to an end.”
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office was assisted during the incident by the Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, FirstHealth, Siler City Fire Department, Chatham County Emergency Communications (911 operators), Chatham County Emergency Management, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.