14-year-old arrested for shooting cars with high-powered pellet rifle on NC highway, police say

WILSON COUNTY, N.C. — A teenager has been charged with shooting several vehicles along U.S. 264 in Wilson County, according to WCTI.

The Bailey Police Department warned drivers on Wednesday in two Facebook posts, saying to drive carefully after receiving reports of cars being shot at.

Multiple people replied to the Facebook posts saying that they had either heard shots fired in the area or had their vehicle or property hit by bullets.

The 14-year-old will be charged in the Juvenile Court System with 20 counts of discharging a barreled weapon into an occupied vehicle and 20 counts of damage to personal property.

The Wilson County Sheriff’s Office sent out a press release on Thursday morning confirming that they had received calls Wednesday afternoon just before 2 p.m. “from motorist[s] stating that their vehicle had possibly been shot. The calls were received randomly at different locations,” the release said. “However[,] each caller reported that they were traveling eastbound on [Highway] 264 near the 38-mile marker.”

“Wilson County Sheriff’s Office saturated the area to investigate the calls,” the release said. “Throughout the night and morning, we have been working the case and patrolling the area for additional evidence.”

The shootings have occurred on U.S. Route 264 in Wilson County, which is east of Raleigh. Specifically, there were reports that shots were fired between mile markers 38 and 40 heading eastbound.

Officials said while searching the area for evidence, they recovered a spent round, which turned out to be a pellet from a high-powered pellet rifle. They believe the teen hid behind bushes along the roadway because more pellet ammunition and several rounds of BBs were found in the area.

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The sheriff’s office said they currently have no evidence indicating that the shootings were intentional or unintentional, but they have been able to determine that they occurred between 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

At least five vehicles were shot, according to the sheriff’s office. Nobody has been hurt though.

Police are urging drivers to pay attention to their surroundings and to call 911 if they see any suspicious activity.

Bailey police also said that they have alerted surrounding jurisdictions of the shootings.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office at (252) 237-2118.

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