Monday afternoon at the Love's Travel Stop on Southfork Drive turned violent when Newton police found a car that had smashed into a utility pole with an adult man inside who had been shot multiple times. An infant in the vehicle appeared uninjured, while a woman and another passenger were taken to area hospitals with what officials described as non life threatening injuries. Authorities say the gunfire followed an attempted kidnapping at the busy travel stop, and the most seriously wounded victim was later airlifted to a Charlotte hospital for advanced care.
What police say
According to WBTV, officers were called around 1:15 p.m. after the crashed vehicle was reported. Investigators told the station that an armed gunman climbed into the backseat and pointed a firearm at the victim. WBTV reports that a second person tried to pull a passenger from the vehicle before the driver sped off, sending that passenger tumbling from the moving car.
Victims and response
Newton officers began life saving measures at the scene, and the wounded man was first taken to Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory before being airlifted to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, WSOC reports. The infant appeared unharmed, and both the child and a woman from the vehicle were treated for non life threatening injuries, according to WSOC. The station also reports that police are asking anyone with information to contact Investigator C. Davis at 828-465-7430 or [email protected].
Investigation underway
Because of safety concerns, police have not publicly identified anyone involved and have not said whether any arrests have been made, WBTV reports. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from the travel stop, and the probe remains active as officers continue to look for witnesses and tips.
