Gastonia police now say a man who was shot last week was actually wounded while trying to break into a home, not in a drive-by as he first claimed. Investigators report that the homeowner fired a single round through a window of a Ware Avenue residence, hitting the man in the chest. Police say the wounded man then drove to the QuikTrip on West Franklin Boulevard to get help. Officers have since arrested both the injured man and his companion, and authorities say the homeowner, described as an elderly, disabled resident, will not face criminal charges.
What police say
In a post from the Gastonia Police Department, investigators said detectives used the department’s Real Time Crime Center and Flock Safety audio detection tools to zero in on the shooting. The system picked up a gunshot at about 7:14 a.m., roughly 100 feet from the Ware Avenue address, according to police. That data clashed with what the wounded man and his companion first told officers, which was that an unknown person in a white vehicle had opened fire on them near South Washington Street and Overman Avenue.
Detectives say that drive-by story was false. Investigators now connect the pair to a July 2 robbery at the same Ware Avenue home, a detail that prompted them to shift attention back to the house and treat the shooting as part of an alleged break-in attempt.
Scene and arrests
Officers initially responded to the QuikTrip at 1843 W. Franklin Blvd. after the wounded man and his companion called 9-1-1, and the man was taken to the hospital with a single gunshot wound to the chest, according to WSOC‑TV. Police say the homeowner told detectives he had been targeted in multiple burglaries and robberies in recent weeks and that firing through the window is what stopped the latest attempted break-in.
After he was released from the hospital, 57‑year‑old Cedric Ford was arrested on attempted first‑degree burglary and felony obstruction charges. Police also charged 47‑year‑old Sanja Stallings with first‑degree burglary in connection with the same incident.
How the RTCC and Flock sensors helped
Gastonia’s Real Time Crime Center pulls together camera feeds and sensor alerts to give analysts near‑real‑time leads, according to a press release from the City of Gastonia. The city explains that the system’s audio detectors trigger on impulsive sounds, then triangulate where they came from and send alerts to RTCC analysts, who can quickly pass precise locations to patrol units.
Local reporting has previously highlighted the RTCC’s role in arrests and missing‑person recoveries earlier this year, as detailed in coverage of rapid RTCC‑assisted arrests.
Legal status
The department says the case remains under investigation and that additional charges tied to the attempted burglary and alleged false reporting are under review by the Gaston County District Attorney’s Office, according to the Gastonia Police Department’s post. Police reiterated that the homeowner, described as an elderly, disabled resident, will not be charged in the shooting while investigators continue to collect evidence.
As the case moves forward, city officials say the RTCC will remain a central tool for solving crimes and protecting residents. Previous reporting on Gastonia’s RTCC rollout lays out the city’s investment in the system and its early results. Police have not released further details as they follow up on leads and await the district attorney’s review.
