One shot, one pistol-whipped in Mooresville home invasion

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Police are looking for two men who they say stormed into a Mooresville home and attacked the men inside.

Mooresville police got a call for help around 3 a.m. Tuesday. Channel 9 was there shortly after police arrived.

The victims said two men, armed with a gun, broke into a home on Pitt Street through a locked back door and attacked them.

RAW VIDEO: 2 hospitalized after home invasion

Maj. Gerald Childress of the Mooresville Police Department said two victims inside the home were assaulted and suffered "significant injuries to the head area."

The men shot 76-year-old Harlem Gabriel in the left hand. He was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center.
 
Investigators said the other victim, 53-year-old Tyrone Simpson, was pistol-whipped and taken to Lake Norman Regional Medical Center.

A dog in the home was also shot.

PHOTOS: 2 injured during Mooresville home invasion

No one answered the door at the home Tuesday afternoon. Police said both men are still in the hospital recovering and that they spoke with a detective Tuesday afternoon.

Neighbors are upset by what happened while they were sleeping.

"(I've) got my son here, and it's a small town, so for something like that to happen…" Quincy Love said.

The victims said the attackers stole some cash, so police are looking at robbery as a motive.

However, Childress said it is not the first time that police been called to the home.

"We have been there on several occasions for domestic-related incidents, fight calls, loud music," Childress said.