Sheriff's Office Investigating Murder/Suicide

The following press release has been issued by Cherokee County Sheriff's Office:
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Murphy, NC— On August 13th, 2018 at about 8:20 pm, Cherokee County E-911 Communications received a call indicating that a female had possibly been shot at a residence on Twin Pond Road, in the Hiwassee Dam Community of Cherokee County, North Carolina. Further, the caller stated that the shooter was actively engaged in shooting inside the residence at the time of the call. The report came from neighbors who reside across the street who had gone to check the welfare of the female. The shooter was reportedly barricaded in the residence at the time of the call.

Deputies from the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the scene of the reported incident. While on scene, numerous shots were heard along with breaking glass. At one point a deputy was able to check the condition of the female, later identified as Tamma Lee, a 57-year-old female of Blairsville Georgia, and found that she was already deceased from an apparent gunshot wound. Deputies then contained the perimeter of the residence. During this time, Cherokee County Emergency Management Administration placed a reverse 911 call to residents in the immediate area notifying them to stay in place.
Additional resources were called which included the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Cherokee Tribal Police Department’s SWAT team along with Jackson County’s SWAT team, Cherokee County Emergency Medical Services, Ranger Volunteer Fire Department, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation offered assistance. Apparently as the Cherokee Tribal Police Department’s SWAT team approached in a Bearcat vehicle the male inside the residence fired several shots at the vehicle.

As the incident progressed into the early morning hours, several attempts occurred to make contact the male in the house with no contact being made. Utilizing the SBI’s robot, the male individual later identified as Nathan Mashburn, a 27-year-old Fannin County, Georgia resident, was located deceased in the residence from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Cherokee Tribal and Jackson County’s SWAT teams were able to clear the residence and did not locate any other persons at the residence.

Sheriff Derrick Palmer stated, “This is a great tragedy and loss for all concerned. Our hearts and prayers go out to all the family members of those involved in this unfortunate incident. My Office and I want to thank all the Agencies and our great public for the assistance we received during this lengthy ordeal. ”

To report suspicious activity and suspect violations of the law please call 828-837-1344 or submit a tip at crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov.