Victim of shooting in bowling alley parking lot identified

Published 10:20 am Thursday, March 16, 2023

SALISBURY — The man who was struck by a bullet in the parking lot at the Woodleaf Lanes bowling alley in Salisbury on Wednesday has been identified.

Dannie Lee Owens Jr., 43, is expected to pull through after he was transported to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center around 8:30 p.m with what police described as “non-life-threatening injuries.”

At this time, investigators are exploring the motive for the shooting as a possible car jacking. Owens’ vehicle was taken from the parking lot following the shooting. However, authorities recovered it a short time later at a different location.

The Salisbury Police Department was dispatched to the scene of the shooting shortly after 8 p.m. A person who was outside when the shooting occurred reportedly came in and got a Woodleaf Lanes employee to contact 911.

After the victim was transported for medical care, crime tape was used to rope off the area where the victim had been shot.

The incident remains under investigation by the Salisbury Police Department. Anyone with information can contact Sgt. Hill with the Salisbury Police Department at jhill@salisburync.gov.