A man was shot multiple times outside the McDonald's on Virginia Road in Edenton, and police say a juvenile who knew him has been taken into custody. Officers responded to the fast-food restaurant after Chowan County 911 received multiple reports of gunfire, and the victim is now recovering in serious but stable condition at a hospital in Greenville.
Edenton police said officers responded to multiple reports of shots fired at the McDonald's around 5:15 p.m., according to wtkr.com. The victim was shot multiple times and was initially taken by private vehicle to ECU Chowan Hospital before being transferred to ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville, where he remains in serious but stable condition. Police have not released his identity.
Suspect and Victim Had Prior History, Police Say
Investigators identified the suspect as a male juvenile who knew the victim, and police said the two had a prior history, per the same report from wtkr.com. The juvenile was taken into custody and transported to a juvenile detention center, according to 13News Now. Police do not believe any additional suspects were involved in the shooting.
Officers remained at the McDonald's collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses as the investigation continued, the station's report notes. The shooting remains under investigation, and no further details about what led to the confrontation between the teen and the victim have been released.
Juvenile Records Stay Sealed Under State Law
Because the suspect is a juvenile, details such as his name, age, and the specific charges he may face are not public. North Carolina law, under G.S. 7B-2901, addresses the confidentiality of juvenile records while requiring that court clerks maintain a complete record of juvenile cases filed in their offices. That framework typically keeps the finer points of a minor's case out of public view even as police release broader details about an incident.
The Edenton case follows a similar incident last month in Fuquay-Varina, where authorities confirmed an 18-year-old was arrested after a deadly shooting inside a Zaxby's, according to ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. In that case, an attorney for the young fast-food worker argued his client was defending himself after being attacked, the station later reported.
