A 10-year veteran of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office has been cleared of any wrong doing in the shooting of a Christiansburg man two weeks ago, while attempting to serve an arrest warrant on him.

Sgt. Lewis Heslip of the sheriff’s office had been placed on administrative leave after he shot Donald Edward Lovern in the leg. The investigation into the shooting incident was turned over to the Christiansburg Police Department at the request of Montgomery County Sheriff Tommy Whitt. The police department turned over its report to Brad Finch, the Montgomery County Commonwealth Attorney, and in an announcement Wednesday morning, ruled that the shooting was justified.

Deputy Heslip had went to the Red Oak Mobile Home Park on May 31, which is located in the town of Christiansburg, to serve an arrest warrant on Lovern. Lovern was wanted on a capias for forcible sodomy charge. Lovern was found hiding in the back of the mobile home. At that time, Lovern pulled a large knife on the deputy. Deputy Heslip gave Lovern repeated orders to drop the knife. Lovern failed to follow the orders and approached the deputy with the knife. Deputy Heslip started backing out of the mobile home, while continuing to tell Lovern to drop the knife. Lovern continued to approach the deputy, at which point, deputy Heslip fired his Glock 40 service weapon three times, striking Lovern once in the leg.

Lovern was airlifted to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital that night.

Lovern has been charged with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.

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