CHARLOTTE — A tow truck driver was shot multiple times Wednesday morning after attempting to tow a vehicle that police said was parked across several spaces on Markland Drive in Charlotte.
Officers responded around 4:30 a.m. to the 3400 block of Markland Drive after receiving a report that a tow truck driver had been shot in the back.
The victim drove toward Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center, where officers met with him. He was taken for treatment.
According to court documents, the driver was attempting to tow a black 2017 Audi A7 when the vehicle’s owner came outside carrying a pit bull and what appeared to be a handgun.
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The driver told police he asked the man to put away the dog and gun so they could discuss the situation.
The driver then got into his tow truck and began leaving with the Audi. Police said surveillance video from the tow truck shows the defendant raising the handgun and firing multiple times as the truck drove away.
Investigators determined the tow truck was struck approximately four times. The victim was struck in the back but survived.
Officers surrounded the suspect’s residence and arrested him, according to court documents.
A search warrant led detectives to a Kel-Tec 9mm handgun hidden under a mattress, along with ammunition, including one round jammed in the chamber.
Police also determined the suspect is a convicted felon, stemming from a 1992 felony cocaine case. Because of that prior conviction, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.