1 shot while driving on I-77 in north Charlotte, source confirms

CHARLOTTE — A person was shot while driving on Interstate 77 Friday morning, a source confirmed to Channel 9.

It happened around 7:20 a.m. in north Charlotte. According to a source, the victim was driving on I-77 North when he heard two “pop” noises and realized he was shot.

He then pulled over to Exit 13A, which is the ramp to Interstate 85 North to call 911, the source said.

According to MEDIC, he was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Channel 9 sent a crew to the scene, where multiple police cars had blocked off parts of the shoulder.

It’s the second shooting on our local interstates Channel 9 has covered in just a week, so Channel 9′s Hunter Sáenz talked to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department about how to handle these kinds of situations in the moment.

“This is definitely nothing new,” said Johnathan Frisk with the CMPD Crime Prevention Unit.

Investigators said they’re scanning highway cameras to see what led to the shooting and whether it was road rage.

Earlier this week, Grace Lowe told Channel 9 she was driving along I-85 with three kids inside her car when they took fire in a road rage incident.

“He just pointed it at us,” she told Channel 9′s Hannah Goetz.

Frisk said if you’re on the road and things get heated, keep calm.

“There’s no reason to look over there and try to engage in eye contact,” he said.

He also says nowadays, you should only use your horn to prevent a crash.

“If somebody cuts you off, once they already cut you off, at that point probably no reason to hit the horn,” Frisk said.

And if you end up as a victim of road rage that involves gunfire, Frisk said it’s a good idea to have a tourniquet in your glovebox.

“What we want to do is stop the bleeding,” he said.

It’s another sign of the times, but police would rather you be prepared for anything.

Sáenz reached out to state lawmakers to see if they plan to work on any bills to combat road rage. State Rep. Carolyn Logan said she plans to reintroduce the highway safety omnibus bill. It would increase the amount of state troopers in Mecklenburg County and require North Carolina Department of Transportation cameras to record and store critical footage.

That bill, however, does not stiffen any penalties for road rage crimes. Last year, it went to committee but no action was taken.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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