The Johnston County Sheriff's Office released the 911 calls of the night two deputies fatally shot 54-year-old Reginald Lee Witcher at his home near Kenly.

The shooting happened on Nov. 22, after EMS and the deputies were called to a party at Witcher's home at 2349 Glendale Road.

The tapes reveal a chaotic scene, where a woman was "unresponsive and barely breathing." The EMS workers called for backup to deal with "an intoxicated crowd."

Someone on the tapes refers to a man with a gun. "Squat two, get out here. He's got a gun."

Moments later: "signal 25. Shots fired. Shots fired. Signal 25. Signal 25. All units. Signal 25. Shots fired. Shots fired. Officers got one man down. Head shot wound to the head."

Signal 25 means officers needing assistance.

A Superior Court judge delayed the release of the 911 calls until Tuesday to give agents with the State Bureau of Investigation time to finish interviewing key witnesses.

Initial reports from the Johnston County Sheriff's Office said Witcher fired at deputies when they arrived at the scene.

An incident report released last Tuesday states:
"Our dispatch stated EMS needed assistance because of a highly intoxicated crowd. While on the scene we encountered an armed man with a shotgun. The suspect was shot by law enforcement."

The report does not mention Witcher firing a weapon before he was killed.

The two officers are on administrative leave.

District Attorney Susan Doyle says she expects the investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation to take several months.

Witcher's family did not have any comment.