A man was shot while breaking into a home in the Godwin area Saturday night, Sept. 19, and he was flown by medical helicopter to WakeMed in Raleigh for treatment. Cumberland County deputies say charges are still pending as investigators work to determine what happened and who, if anyone, will face them.
Deputies responded to the 6000 block of Bend of River Road near Godwin at 10:21 p.m., according to mydailyrecord.com, which attributed the response details to Cumberland County Sheriff's Office Lt. Mickey Locklear. Detectives determined that the man was breaking into the home when he was shot, per Locklear, though the circumstances remain under active investigation. As reported by USA Carry, deputies arrived to find the man suffering from a gunshot wound.
Emergency Crews Scramble to Reach the Victim
Godwin-Falcon Fire Rescue and Cumberland County EMS both responded to the scene, and emergency personnel requested a medical helicopter because of the severity of the man's injuries, according to the same report. Firefighters set up a helicopter landing zone at the Falcon Children's Home, and crews transported the man by ambulance from the scene to that landing zone before he was flown to WakeMed in Raleigh for treatment. The outlet's account does not provide further detail on the man's condition or how the break-in unfolded.
No Charging Decision Yet, Sheriff's Office Says
Locklear said charges are pending, but investigators have not specified who may be charged or what charges are under consideration, per the sheriff's office. The agency has also not characterized the shooting as justified, and it had not announced a charging decision as of the reporting. The sheriff's office described the incident as isolated and said there is no threat to the public; no additional details were being released as of Sunday, Sept. 20, USA Carry reported.
North Carolina law includes a provision addressing situations where defensive force is used against someone unlawfully and forcefully entering, or who has unlawfully and forcibly entered, a home, motor vehicle, or workplace, according to North Carolina General Statutes, G.S. 14-51.2. How that statute might apply to the Godwin case remains unclear, since investigators have not released a detailed account of how the alleged break-in occurred or what led to the shooting.
