A Union Elementary School teacher is being remembered for her kindness, dedication and unwavering love for her students following a fatal shooting at her home earlier this month.
According to the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a reported shooting incident at 42 Amic Lane in Clinton on Friday, June 12. When they arrived, deputies located 37-year-old Felcia Furlow unresponsive outside the residence.
Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and pronounced Furlow dead.
Chief Deputy Marcus Smith said investigators determined a family altercation had occurred involving multiple individuals who were struggling over a firearm. During the altercation, the firearm discharged, striking Furlow.
He declined comment on what type of firearm was involved in the shooting.
Investigators, Smith noted, continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident. As of press time, no charges have been filed, and detectives are continuing their investigation to determine whether criminal charges are warranted.
“No further information is being released at this time,” the deputy chief noted in a prepared statement. “Updates will be provided as they become available.”
While investigators work to piece together what happened, members of the Union Elementary School community are mourning the loss of Furlow, a teacher, they said, who touched countless lives through her work in the classroom.
Furlow served as a pre-K teacher at Union Elementary, where colleagues and students knew her for her caring nature and commitment to helping others.
Union Elementary Principal Tonya Colwell described Furlow as a selfless educator whose impact extended far beyond the walls of her classroom.
“Mrs. Furlow was a very humble person with a huge heart,” Colwell shared during an interview Monday. “She loved her students and consistently went above and beyond to help others. She was truly a team player whose kindness and dedication touched many lives.”
Colwell added that Furlow’s presence will be deeply missed throughout the school community.
“Her infectious smile and sweet spirit will be dearly missed within the Union Elementary community,” she said.
The loss has left family members, friends, fellow educators and students grieving a woman remembered not only for her work as a teacher, but for the compassion she showed those around her every day, posts on social media showed.
As the Sheriff’s Office continues its investigation, those who knew Furlow best said they are choosing to remember the educator behind the tragedy — a teacher whose kindness, generosity and love for children helped shape young lives and whose absence will be felt throughout the Union community for years to come.