Elizabeth City police were called to the 700 block of Parsonage Street late Sunday night after reports of multiple gunshots in the area, and when officers arrived, they found two people inside a vehicle near the scene along with a handgun in plain view. Investigators secured the weapon and later discovered multiple spent shell casings nearby. Police arrested 36-year-old Kevin Joshua David Brown, who lives on the same block, and charged him with driving while impaired, having an open container and discharging a firearm within city limits.
According to WCTI, officers were called to the 700 block of Parsonage Street around 11:07 p.m. on September 27 after receiving reports of multiple gunshots in the area. Once on scene, officers found two people inside a vehicle near the reported location and saw a handgun inside, the station reported. Police then secured the gun and later found multiple spent shell casings nearby.
Surveillance Footage Points to a Suspect
Investigators reviewed surveillance video as part of the probe, and per police, the footage showed a man holding a firearm in the area. That review led officers to arrest Brown, who was taken into custody and charged with driving while impaired, having an open container, and discharging a firearm within city limits, the outlet's report states.
As part of the investigation, police obtained a search warrant for a sample of Brown's blood, the same report notes. Brown was then taken to Albemarle District Jail, where he was held on a $4,000 secured bond. His first court appearance was scheduled for Monday morning in Pasquotank County District Court, according to the article.
What North Carolina Law Says About Firing a Gun in City Limits
The discharging-a-firearm charge stems from state law that gives municipalities authority over gunfire within their borders. Under North Carolina General Assembly statute G.S. 160A-189, a city may by ordinance regulate, restrict or prohibit the discharge of firearms within its limits, with exceptions that include defense of a person or property and situations where law-enforcement officers give lawful directions. It remains unclear whether Elizabeth City's specific ordinance applies to the circumstances of Brown's arrest.
The investigation remains ongoing, and it is not yet known what the blood sample search warrant may reveal or how Brown's case will proceed following his scheduled court appearance. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Elizabeth City police at 252-335-4321, according to WCTI 12.
