MONROE, N.C. — A suspect is in custody following a violent burglary at a Monroe business where a shot was fired into the occupied store, narrowly missing an employee. The incident occurred shortly after 12:30 a.m. on Monday at Monroe Tobacco and Stuff.
The apprehension was made possible by the use of the Flock Safety camera system, which helped authorities identify the getaway vehicle.
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Police responded to Monroe Tobacco and Stuff, at 2410-G W. Roosevelt Blvd., after two suspects used a crowbar to force their way into the closed business.
An employee was inside the building at the time and confronted the suspects. They fled the store, but one suspect turned back and fired a gun into the building, just missing the employee by a few feet.
Officers with the Monroe Police Department immediately began reviewing surveillance footage, which provided a description of the suspects’ vehicle.
Using the Flock Safety camera system, officers identified the vehicle, determined its license plate and traced it to Lexington, South Carolina. Working with the Lexington Police Department, authorities located the vehicle and identified one of the suspects as Sherwin Alfonzo Green, 60, of Lexington.
Green is currently held at the Lexington County Detention Center, awaiting extradition to North Carolina.
Green has been charged with:
- Attempted robbery
- Felony breaking and entering
- Possession of burglary tools
- Assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill
- Discharging a weapon into occupied property
- Possession of a firearm by a felon
The investigation remains active as police search for a second suspect.
“This case is a prime example of how technology, combined with outstanding police work and strong law enforcement partnerships, helps us solve violent crimes quickly,” said Chief Rhett Bolen. “Our Flock camera system gave officers the critical lead they needed to identify and track this suspect across state lines, and the Lexington Police Department’s swift assistance was instrumental in taking a dangerous individual into custody before anyone could be harmed.”