PUBLISHED

N.C.G.S. § 14-288.9

Assault upon emergency personnel; punishments.

Effective date: 2026-08-08
Last verified: 2026-08-09
Source: official source
Revision history: view all versions

(a) An assault upon emergency personnel is an assault upon any person included within the definition of "emergency personnel" in subsection (b) of this section that is committed in an area in which either of the following applies: (1) A declared state of emergency exists. (2) Within the immediate vicinity, a riot is occurring or is imminent. (b) In this section, the term "emergency personnel" includes law-enforcement officers, firefighters, ambulance attendants, utility workers, doctors, nurses, members of the North Carolina National Guard, and other persons lawfully engaged in providing essential services or otherwise discharging or attempting to discharge their official duties during an emergency. (c) A person who commits an assault upon emergency personnel is guilty of a Class H felony. (d) A person who commits an assault upon emergency personnel with or through the use of a dangerous weapon or substance is guilty of a Class F felony. (e) A person who commits an assault upon emergency personnel causing serious bodily injury to the emergency personnel is guilty of a Class E felony. (f) A person who commits an assault upon emergency personnel causing death to the emergency personnel is guilty of a Class D felony. (1969, c. 869, s. 1; 1979, c. 760, s. 5; 1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1316, s. 47; 1981, c. 63, s. 1; c. 179, s. 14; 1993, c. 539, ss. 193, 1229; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 2011-356, s. 3; 2023-6, s. 3; 2025-25, s. 30.)