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Man shot in chest in road rage incident in Burke County, brother says

VALDESE, N.C. — Officials said one person was shot in downtown Valdese Thursday afternoon.

Channel 9 arrived at the scene along Main Street just after 2 p.m., where investigators had crime scene tape roping off the area.

The victim's brother and girlfriend said they saw the shooting unfold right in front of them.

Aaron Duncan said his brother, Joshua Barnes, got out of his car after the car ahead of him stopped in the roadway.

When the 20-year-old Barnes asked the driver why he kept hitting his brakes, family members said the driver shot him in the chest.

Duncan believes this is a case of road rage.

"This man kept braking and we almost rammed him three different times,” Duncan said. “I just asked people to pray for him. That's all I ask."

For more than an hour, police collected evidence along East Main, shutting down the busiest road in town.

Barnes was initially rushed to a hospital in Valdese, while the shooter didn’t leave the scene and was on the ground when police arrived.

"Just be careful out there.  You never know what is going to happen,” said Arial Silver, Barnes’ girlfriend. “People are crazy out here. You never know what is going to happen."

Channel 9 is waiting to learn of possible charges in the case and also trying to confirm reports that Barnes was airlifted to another hospital because of his injuries.

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