A Halifax County deputy shot and wounded a bank robbery suspect Thursday afternoon after a high-speed chase from Scotland Neck to Halifax, authorities said.

"We're still in the early, early stages of the investigation," Scotland Neck Police Chief Doug Pilgreen said.

The robbery occurred about 2:40 p.m. Thursday, when two gunmen held up the Southern Bank on Main Street in Scotland Neck, Pilgreen said.

Scotland Neck police officers and Halifax County deputies responded to the call, and one of the deputies spotted a black Acura leaving the scene of the robbery, the chief said.

Earlier Thursday, Rocky Mount police reported a robbery at Bennett Insurance Services on South Grace Street, in which a black or dark green Acura was seen leaving the area after the holdup, authorities said.

A statewide alert for the Acura was issued for all law enforcement agencies.

A deputy began following the Acura that was spotted leaving the Scotland Neck bank, and a chase ensued, Pilgreen said.

Authorities chased the vehicle to Halifax, where one of the suspects jumped from the car and ran, said the chief.

Henderson Hinton, 30, of Mooresville was wounded by a Halifax County deputy. The suspect was flown to Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville. His condition was not known at presstime.

It was unclear at presstime whether the suspect fired at the deputy.

"A gun was used in the robbery," said Pilgreen, who referred all questions about the shooting to the sheriff's office.

The suspect who remained in the vehicle - Derek Vaughan, 29, of Winton – was arrested and charged with armed robbery. He was jailed under a $100,000 bond.

A warrant for armed robbery also was issued for Hinton.

More charges are expected.

"We're still trying to piece things together," Pilgreen said.

The name of the deputy who shot Hinton was not released. The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the incident, which is standard policy for all officer-involved shootings in North Carolina.

The FBI also is involved in the investigation, also standard procedure because the robbery occurred at a bank.

Also involved in the investigation was Hobgood police.

Rocky Mount detectives are expected to go to Halifax County today to determine whether Hinton and Vaughan might have been involved in the Bennett robbery. No one was hurt in that holdup, which occurred about noon, authorities said.

In that holdup, one suspect walked in the business with a gun, stole some cash and fled the scene, police said. A second suspect was spotted outside moments before the two left in an Acura.