A man accused of shooting his own uncle in the arm during a Monday night confrontation near Pollocksville was ordered held without bond Tuesday, after deputies say he hid from them for hours before his arrest. Austin Bryant Riggs, 27, now faces a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury, in connection with the shooting on Davis Field Road.
Jones County deputies responded around 8:10 p.m. Monday to the 1600 block of Davis Field Road after a report of a gunshot victim, according to wcti12.com. The shooting happened at a home near Poole Pocosin Road, and the WITN reports the Jones County Sheriff's Office said a man had shot a family member that night. People in the yard directed the first deputy to the victim and identified Riggs as the alleged shooter, per the station's report.
The victim, identified as Riggs' uncle, suffered a gunshot wound to the upper right arm and was taken to a hospital. WITN described his injuries as non-life-threatening. Riggs is related to the victim, according to the Jones County Sheriff's Office.
Standoff Near the Home Draws Drones and Tactical Teams
Deputies say Riggs and a woman believed to be his girlfriend ran to a trailer next door to the shooting scene and barricaded themselves inside, according to the sheriff's office. Deputies searched the trailer but did not find them there, prompting a request for help from the Lenoir County Sheriff's Office Special Response Team and the New Bern Police Department's Tactical Drone Team, per the same account.
Accounts of where Riggs was ultimately found differ. One report states he was later located hiding inside a vehicle behind the residence, while another says the sheriff reported he was found in construction equipment behind the property before being taken into custody without further incident. Both descriptions come from wcti12.com's coverage of the standoff.
A second person believed to be Riggs' girlfriend was also taken into custody during the arrest, though no charges have been announced against her, the outlet reports.
Charges, Bond and a Pretrial Release Complication
Riggs was ordered held without bond during his first court appearance Tuesday. He is charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury, and court documents allege he used a Stevens Model 20-gauge shotgun in the assault, according to the station's reporting.
The case carries an added wrinkle: Riggs was on pretrial release and North Carolina probation at the time he was charged in the shooting, per the same source. As with any pending case, the charges against Riggs are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
