North Carolina Man Re-Arrested After Escape, But Bodycam Footage Contradicts Charges Against Him
A North Carolina man who escaped from jail after being accused of shooting at three Onslow County deputies has been re-arrested. However, newly surfaced body-camera footage raises serious questions about the initial allegations, showing deputies admitting that John Nigh never shot at them or pointed his gun in their direction.
Nigh, who had been in custody since last summer, escaped from Craven County Jail in New Bern on January 26, 2025. Authorities say Nigh had assistance from his cellmates, who helped him remove ceiling grating. He allegedly entered a utility ceiling chase, climbed onto the roof of the ventilation housing, and managed to escape.
After a two-week manhunt, Nigh was captured Tuesday in Pamlico County, where the sheriff posed for a photo with him on the ground.
Nigh’s issues with law enforcement began last June when Onslow County deputies attempted to arrest him at a residence in Hubert for warrants from Pamilco County. According to a press release, deputies claimed Nigh fired two shots from a small-caliber handgun at them while trying to evade arrest by fleeing into a wooded area. As a result, he was charged with multiple felonies, including:
- Three counts of attempted first-degree murder
- Three counts of assault on a law enforcement officer by pointing a firearm
- Possession of a firearm by a felon
- Resisting, delaying, or obstructing an officer (RDO)
- Shooting within 500 feet of a dwelling
These charges were in addition to existing felony and misdemeanor charges from Pamlico County, including breaking and entering a motor vehicle, felony larceny, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Despite the serious allegations, body-worn camera footage obtained by Nigh’s family appears to contradict the charges he’s facing. The video captures a conversation between two deputies at the scene of Nigh’s arrest, suggesting he never fired at them.
In the footage, a male deputy is heard explaining to a female deputy that Nigh had expressed suicidal intent:
“He said he was going to kill himself,” the male deputy states. “It was nothing towards us. He said, ‘I’m going to kill myself, I’m going to kill myself.'”
The female deputy, who appears to have stripes on her uniform, responds, “The reason I ask is because if he shot at you guys, the SBI [State Bureau of Investigation] comes out.” Her next words are unclear to understand.
The male deputy then demonstrates how Nigh was positioned when shots were fired.
“He was proned up on his stomach, both hands underneath. I’m guessing the gun was in his right hand because that’s where Chance recovered it from. Chance was on the right, I was on the left,” the male deputy explains.
He reiterates, “But he said he was going to kill himself, he didn’t say he was going to kill us.”
WATCH VIDEO BELOW:
The footage raises concerns about the accuracy of the initial police narrative that led to Nigh’s charges. If deputies themselves admitted he did not shoot at them, why was he charged with attempted murder and assaulting law enforcement officers?
Attempts to obtain a response from the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office regarding the video and its implications have so far been unsuccessful.
