SALISBURY, N.C. — A Rowan County deputy was involved in a shootout with multiple suspects after a shooting critically injured a 10-year-old girl in Salisbury late Tuesday night, investigators said.
Family members told WCNC Charlotte that the 10-year-old and her grandmother had just returned home from the grocery store when someone who followed them opened fire in the area. The grandmother, whose name is April, said she heard four shots and that her granddaughter was shot in the side. She was rushed to the VA hospital in Salisbury before being airlifted to Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem where she underwent emergency surgery and is still in the ICU, according to Police Chief P.J. Smith.
A Rowan County deputy was in the area of North Jackson Street when he heard gunshots, Deputy Chief Jason Owens said. The deputy, identified as Lt. David Scott, started jogging through the neighborhood looking to find where the shots came from when a vehicle sped toward Scott; the driver tried to hit him and people inside the vehicle started shooting, officials said.
Scott took cover and returned fire, according to Owens, who explained the suspect vehicle crashed into a light pole.
The suspects continued to shoot at Scott after jumping from the crashed vehicle, but Owens said Scott didn't feel he could safely return fire and took cover. Investigators said four people jumped from the car. It's unclear how many were armed and shot at the deputy.
“We collected close to 20 shell casings,” Salisbury Chief of Police P.J. Smith, said.
"He's very, very fortunate that those guys were a bad shot because they fired a lot of rounds at him," Owens said. "I do not know if all four had firearms. I know more than one was firing weapons."
Wednesday was supposed to be the girl's first day of school, according to the family. The girl's grandmother hopes someone with information comes forward soon and asked everyone to pray for her granddaughter.
Smith said authorities believe the child was not the intended target.
Salisbury police said the shooting appears to be isolated and investigators do not believe there is a threat to the public at this time.
"Just praying for everything to be alright," one person said. "It's gotta be some young, ignorant person to shoot at a kid and a grandma. They don't have any remorse for nobody."
The North Carolina SBI responded to the shooting because the deputy fired shots but declined to investigate when it was determined that no one was struck by gunfire.
The girl's grandmother said they received some uplifting news Wednesday, as a nurse said the girl is showing progress and could be moved out of ICU if her recovery continues at the same rate.
The Salisbury Police Department and Rowan County Sheriff's Office are investigating the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to call 704-638-5333 to speak directly with Sgt. Hill.
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