On June 12, 2017 at about 6:00 pm Vidant Beaufort Emergency Department personnel contacted the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office to report receiving a gunshot victim in their department. Deputies responded to find a 13-year-old Asheville, North Carolina boy suffering from a single gunshot wound.
Deputies began an inquiry into the shooting and learned the victim and his grandfather were on a pontoon boat in Sydney Creek just off Chocowinity Bay. Both the victim and his grandfather were shooting 22 caliber rifles towards the east bank of Sydney Creek when they reported seeing a person on the bank who also fired a gun in their direction. After the shooting stopped it was discovered the boy had been struck and the grandfather immediately transported him to the Emergency Department.
Within an hour after the report Investigators located the person seen on the bank by the victim and his grandfather. The Chocowinity man told Investigators he was in his yard when he heard shots and could hear bullets flying past him in the direction of his house. He reported making two attempts to get the attention of the two persons on the boat to get them to stop shooting in his direction. When those attempts failed, he fired warning shots to get their attention and after those shots the boat left the area.
Based on eyewitness accounts, physical evidence and the victims wound Investigators determined the victim was struck by a ricocheting bullet. The case will be forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for further review.
The family reports, as of today the victim did not require any surgery and has been released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
