Multiple reports of ‘shots fired’ in city over weekend

Published 12:10 am Tuesday, August 2, 2022

SALISBURY — Four shootings were reported over the weekend, according to police, including one that involved one car chasing another, firing shots, onto the interstate then back into the city.

According to police, the victim had stopped his car near the intersection of East Bank and Clay streets. When he started to get out of the car, a passenger in a car up the street got out and fired several shots at him. He got back in his car and attempted to drive away, but the other car gave chase, continuing to fire shots.

The victim said he got on I-85, but according to police, he said the pursuing car stayed with him, continuing to shoot, at one point hitting a tractor-trailer with one of the bullets.

The victim’s car began malfunctioning, said police, and the driver had to pull off on the shoulder. But Salisbury Police had by then located the suspect vehicle and pursued it back into the city. At North Main and 15th streets, police said the suspect car stopped and four people jumped out and ran. Police caught three, and made two arrests.

Bradford Bennet, 36, of Salisbury, was charged with evading arrest/obstruction of justice. Darlo Henrico Smith, 30, was charged with reckless driving, an expired inspection tag and speeding.

At around midnight, police received a report of someone shooting into an occupied house in the 600 block of E. Franklin Street. The homeowner told police they were woken by the sound of gunshots, and one of the bullets did come through the exterior of the house into a bedroom. Police say they recovered numerous shell casings, but no one was injured. The victim did not see the car and was unable to provide descriptions to police.

Twenty minutes later, police received a call from a resident on South Jackson Street who said someone had shot at their home. Officers retrieved multiple shell casings from that scene as well, but no one was injured.

At 12:30 a.m. Sunday, officers were called to Novant Rowan Regional Medical Center for a reported gunshot victim. The man told police he was walking from one friend’s house on East Innes Street to another friend’s house on Long Street, near the railroad tracks, when some sort of fight broke out. It is still unclear whether or not the victim was actually involved or not, but he told police he realized he had been hit, and was transported to the hospital. Police said he received two grazing wounds and an injury to his upper left arm, but none of the injuries were life threatening.

As of press time, police said there was nothing connecting the shootings, but all four incidents remain under investigation.