Catawba County -- June 10, 2026: Press Release Catawba County Sheriff's Office: On Tuesday, June 9, 2026, deputies with the Catawba County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a shooting at a residence on Dansbury Lane in Vale. Rusty Johnson was located at the scene suffering from a gunshot wound and was transported to an area hospital, where he later died as a result of his injuries. Investigators with the Catawba County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division (CID) responded to the scene and began examining the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
As a result, Thomas Christopher Banks, 39, of Cherryville, NC, was identified as a suspect in this case. Anyone with knowledge of Bank’s whereabouts and or information about this case is encouraged to contact Sheriff investigators at 828-464-3112.