A Nash County man is facing serious charges after shooting a 15-year-old over an alleged vehicle theft late Friday night. As reported by CBS17, deputies shared that the incident unfolded in the 7900 block of Savage Road near Spring Hope. Zachary Bryant, 30, made a 911 call reporting a potential robbery from his vehicle and ended up firing his handgun, striking a juvenile. The youth remains in critical condition at WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh.

According to ABC11, Bryant encountered two individuals on his property and attempted to stop what he believed to be a theft by confronting them and firing shots as they tried to escape in a car. Making his first court appearance this morning, Bryant now faces charges including assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injury.

WRAL detailed the sequence of events, explaining that Bryant had gone outside after his dogs started barking and spotted two "light-skinned males" exiting his truck. Returning indoors to dress and grab a handgun, he noticed his toolbox opened and items missing, which sparked him to act. Shortly after reporting the theft, upon seeing a car matching the suspects' vehicle, he fired multiple shots from the road's shoulder. One of the bullets hit the young driver in the head.

Amidst the chaos that followed, it's worth noting that "Property is never an excuse to use deadly force," Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone remarked on WRAL. The incident has also stirred up concerns because there were three other teenagers in the car, aged 15, 16, and 14, who are now also tangled in legal proceedings with charges pending against them, though their names have not been released due to North Carolina state law covering juvenile identities.