CURRITUCK COUNTY, N.C. — Michael Thomas Harris Jr., a 32-year-old man from Moyock, N.C., has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with a deadly shooting that took place on Friday evening in Currituck County.
At approximately 5:30 p.m., Currituck County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a shooting at a home in the Wedgewood Lakes subdivision on Wedgewood Drive. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Skylar Benjamin Haislip, the victim, suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite efforts to transport him to a trauma center, Haislip succumbed to his injuries.
The alleged shooter, identified as Michael Thomas Harris Jr., fled the scene on foot after the incident. Law enforcement quickly launched a canvass of the area and deployed a canine unit to track Harris. Investigators used intelligence and phone pings, which led to a location on Willow Drive, where the SWAT team was called in to secure the area.
Harris was eventually located and arrested by the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT team. He has been charged with first-degree murder and is currently being held at the Currituck County Detention Center without bond.
This arrest follows an earlier October 2023 incident where Harris was arrested and charged with felony fleeing and eluding arrest, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, and reckless driving. He pled guilty to these charges on October 31.
The Currituck County Criminal Investigations Division is continuing its investigation into the homicide.