Man arrested following North Carolina barricade incident on terror watch list, illegal migrant

Awet Hagos came into the U.S. through Haiti before moving to North Carolina

Man arrested following North Carolina barricade incident on federal terror watch list, illegal migrant

Awet Hagos, who was taken into custody following a barricade situation in Gates County, North Carolina, was found to be on a terrorist watch list and an illegal migrant from Yemen. (Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson via X)

An illegal migrant, who was taken into custody following a barricade shooting incident in North Carolina, was allegedly found to be on a terrorist watch list and had been living in the area for six months.

According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), 32-year-old Awet Hagos is a citizen of Eritrea, a small country on the coast of Northeast Africa.

Immigration officers said that Hagos entered the U.S. illegally after residing in Haiti and had been living in North Carolina for the last six months.

After running Hagos' fingerprints, authorities allegedly found that he was on the terrorist watch list.

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Awet Hagos

Awet Hagos was on the terrorist watch list at the time of his arrest in North Carolina. (Gates County Sheriff's Office)

Gates County Sheriff's Office said that they were first alerted to Hagos when a barricade incident unfolded at a Quick Stop gas station.

Police said that on Monday, March 11, at approximately 6:40 p.m., deputies responded to reports of gunfire.

Local authorities, along with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, attempted to take Hagos into custody, but he became "extremely combative" and attempted to disarm a deputy of their firearm.

Mark Robinson

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who is running for governor,  (Mark Robinson)

After the altercation, police said that Wagos fled into his home and led police on a four-hour standoff.

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Hagos was eventually safely taken into custody and charged with three counts of assault on a government official, three counts of resisting a public officer, and one count of carrying a concealed weapon.

Hagos was placed under a $100,000 secured bond and transported to Albemarle District Jail. 

Following reports that Hagos was an illegal migrant and on the terrorist watchlist, three Republicans, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who is running for governor, Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore, wrote a letter to President Joe Biden.

The leaders demanded that Biden provide more information about Hagos and details about his alleged terrorist activity.

"Our understanding is that this violent individual is originally from an area near Yemen, a known hot-bed of anti-American terrorist activity," the letter said.

"Clearly, this is a grave concern, not only for the people of North Carolina but for our entire nation," the letter said. 

Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. 

She is a native of Massachusetts and is based in Orlando, Florida.

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Authored by Sarah Rumpf-Whitten via FoxNews March 20th 2024