North Carolina gunman who shot and killed ‘aggressor’ on the road when he tried to break into her car acted in self-defense, local prosecutor says

An armed woman acted in self-defense when she shot and killed an enraged “aggressor” in a North Carolina supermarket parking lot, the local prosecutor has found.

Stephen McLamb, 49, was shot by the unnamed woman after allegedly following her onto the property during Tuesday’s Raleigh incident.

After parking in front of the Food Lion store at Greystone Village Shopping Center, he got out of his car and approached the woman’s vehicle.

When he tried to pry open the doors of the car, the woman opened fire on him and he was shot dead just after 5 p.m., according to authorities.

Investigators said they were able to get a clear picture of the episode, which seemingly started with road rage as much of it was captured on camera.

“Mr. McLamb was the aggressor,” said District Attorney Lorrin Freeman ABC11.

“He followed the other person into the parking lot, and when he got out of his car – approached her car and tried to get into her car – she shot and killed him in self-defense.”

Freeman added, “We were lucky enough to have access to several videos. There were also witnesses in the area who could give a fairly clear picture of what was happening here.’

The prosecutor explained: ‘What’s really important here for people to understand is that the provision in our law is not an invitation to vigilante justice, but it does allow someone to have a justifiable fear of imminent death or bodily harm that you may protect yourself.’

North Carolina law states that the use of force is permitted when someone is defending against death or the possible infliction of serious bodily harm.

Self-defense applies to unauthorized access to someone’s vehicle – as seems to be the case here – as well as in the home or workplace.

The woman who fatally shot Mr. McLamb had no criminal history and legally owned the gun she was carrying.