A serious incident disrupted traffic and shook travelers on Interstate 95 near Dunn on Sunday evening, after a passenger was shot inside a moving vehicle causing the driver to lose control and crash into the median barrier. The violence unfolded around 5 p.m. near the Harnett-Cumberland county line, as the vehicle was traveling northbound. One man, a passenger, suffered serious injuries upon being struck twice by the hail of bullets, according to a report by WRAL.
The quick actions of a North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper were highlighted in the wake of the shooting. The trooper, who was first on the scene, applied a tourniquet to the man's injuries and, realizing the severity of his condition, opted to rush the victim directly to Betsy Johnson Hospital in Dunn in a patrol cruiser. This information was detailed by a statement obtained by CBS17, which also noted the closure of northbound lanes at Bud Hawkins Road, mile marker 70, immediately following the incident.
The investigation, currently underway by the Harnett County Sheriff's Office, is focusing on identifying the assailant who fired from another vehicle. According to WRAL, the victim, a 31-year-old man, has been listed in stable condition. The driver, a woman who was operating the Chrysler 200 when the shooting occurred, and a second passenger in the car were not physically harmed during the incident.
Following the shooting and crash, several emergency vehicles were on the scene for hours, causing significant traffic delays on I-95. A wrecked vehicle, distinguishingly marked by a rear window made absent by violence, was seen parked along the thoroughfare, close to the median divider, as reported by CBS17.
Witnesses or those with knowledge of the incident that can provide clarity or context to this traumatic occurrence are being sought in earnest, as articulated by officials and emphasized in a statement obtained by ABC11, which reported multiple bullet holes in the passenger side of the vehicle, a silent yet screaming testament to the sudden and severe nature of the event.
