Juvenile hurt in road rage shooting on I-85 in Gaston County, police say

LOWELL, N.C. — A juvenile was hurt in a road rage shooting on Interstate 85 in Gaston County, investigators said. No arrests have been made.

The Lowell Police Department was first alerted to the crime on Friday when someone who had been shot showed up at CaroMont Regional Medical Center. Police at the hospital told Lowell police that the shooting probably happened on I-85 in Lowell.

Lowell police took their first report from two juvenile victims at the hospital. They told police they had been involved in a road rage incident with someone else who they didn’t know.

Police said the two minors were going to get a meal in Belmont when they saw a car on the small stretch of I-85 North in Lowell. The assistant chief said the teen driver became worried about a car driving erratically.

“They had tried to change lanes a couple of times to escape the area,” Assistant Chief Jeff Harrison said.

But the car caught up to them. The juveniles told police the suspect pointed a red laser onto the passenger side of the victim’s car. That’s when they heard a loud noise and the driver’s side window broke.

The bullet went through the driver’s hair but they were not hurt, police said. However, the same bullet hit the passenger in their left shoulder.

The victims turned around and drove to the hospital in Gastonia. The passenger has since come home from the hospital.

“They were so shook up, they didn’t really even get a vehicle description of any kind,” Harrison said.

They asked anyone in the area of I-85 North at Exit 22 around 7 p.m. Friday who may have information about the shooting to call the Lowell Police Department at 704-824-8540.

Tension runs high on the highway this time of year, police said. Traffic builds on I-85 in that area, from people going to see the Christmas lights in McAdenville to drivers heading to Gastonia shopping malls in the other direction. They asked people stuck in traffic to be patient, especially during the holidays.

“They let a road rage incident raise to the point that they felt they needed to fire a shot at someone,” Harrison said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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