Raleigh, N.C. ? A sheriff’s deputy shot two Fort Bragg soldiers who tried to disarm him because they thought he was taking part in their training exercise, officials said. One of the soldiers died.

The soldiers, dressed in civilian clothes, were taking part Saturday in a role-playing exercise that is part of the Army’s Special Forces Qualification Course.

“One of the soldiers attempted to disarm the officer as the other was attempting to get a military weapon that the soldiers had in their possession,” a statement from the Moore County Sheriff’s Office said. “The deputy believed that the two individuals intended on killing him.”

The Army said in a news release Sunday evening that the incident was a mistake. Civilians and authorities are often asked to assist in the training exercises, said Special Operations spokesman Major Gary Kolb.

Kolb said the soldiers were carrying a disassembled M-4 carbine rifle in a bag when they were pulled over by Deputy Sheriff Randall Butler. It was unclear why he pulled their car over.

Kolb said the soldier’s identities would not be released until relatives were notified. The wounded soldier was listed in serious condition at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst.

The cause of the shooting was still under investigation, and Kolb would not comment on the information provided by the sheriff’s department.

The Moore County Sheriff’s Office was told a training exercise was under way, Kolb said. But he said the Army did not coordinate specifically with the sheriff’s office and Butler was likely unaware of it.

“In this instance, they were not informed about this, because the scenario itself was not intended to draw attention of the local authorities,” Kolb said.

In its release, the sheriff’s department said Butler was “totally unaware” of the exercise.

The two soldiers were participating in a reconnaissance mission in which they were to locate a target to be used in a future mission, Kolb said. Butler stopped the vehicle on a rural road near Robbins, about 25 miles from Fort Bragg.

They were in a vehicle driven by a civilian who was playing the role of a resident of a fictitious country, Kolb said. He wouldn’t discuss further details of the incident because it was being investigated by the State Bureau of Investigation and the Army.

No charges had been filed Sunday. Butler was placed on administrative leave with pay.

The training exercise, known as “Robin Sage,” is the 19-day final exam of the Special Forces Qualification Course. It tests skills in survival, tactics and dealing with people, as well as judgment, decision-making and ethics.