A shooting incident in the usually tranquil town of Chapel Hill has left the community unnerved. Last night, police responded to reports of gunshots near the cross-section of Franklin and Graham streets. CBS17 conveyed that a person was found with gunshot wounds and was subsequently transported to UNC Hospitals with injuries not deemed life-threatening.
Chapel Hill Police arrested 74-year-old Geary Wayne Council in connection to the shooting. His slew of charges includes attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Eyewitness Philip Green described the chaos to CBS17, saying, "I just heard a gunshot and I kind of assumed that it was like a car backfiring, and I saw 6 or 7 cops go past."
Council is currently held without bond at the Orange County Detention Center, with a first court appearance scheduled for 10 a.m. today. Chapel Hill Police Chief Celisa Lehew commended her team for their rapid response, stating, "We will continue to investigate and provide support to the victim and all who were impacted," this according to a report by ABC11.
The motive behind the incident appears rooted in an argument between Council and the victim. A resident, Mitch Virchick, expressed his concern to WRAL, "Usually these things kind of happen away from everything or behind closed doors. Out in the open, that’s a little scary.” The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, but authorities maintain that it is an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to public safety.
