A North Carolina man is behind bars on felony expenses after allegedly taking pictures a juvenile enjoying “ding-dong ditch” in his residential neighborhood, based on police.
The incident occurred round 11:20 p.m. in Statesville, North Carolina, on Saturday, when deputies with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Workplace heard gunshots coming from a close-by neighborhood whereas conducting a visitors cease, authorities stated in an announcement.
As authorities arrived within the space of Absher Farm Loop to aim to find the origin of the gunfire, they obtained a 911 name concerning a person affected by a gunshot wound in close by Citadel Pines Lane.
Officers subsequently found an “unoccupied automobile stopped within the roadway with passenger doorways open, damaged glass on the bottom, and obvious bullet holes within the automobile,” earlier than finding a bunch of 5 juveniles in a close-by area, based on the assertion.
One of many juveniles within the group had a gunshot wound to the leg, police stated.
As authorities performed their preliminary investigation, they realized the group was touring via the neighborhood when an unknown particular person fired at their automobile and struck the juvenile within the leg.
Whereas gathering extra proof, together with witness interviews and surveillance video, investigators had been approached by Craig Steven Mason, who recognized himself because the shooter, police stated.
Mason reportedly advised investigators he was asleep inside his dwelling when he was awoken by loud noises coming from a close-by residence, inflicting him to retrieve his handgun and go outdoors to analyze the reason for the sound.
“Mason advised detectives he noticed a automobile driving via the neighborhood with no headlights on, and he fired a number of rounds towards the automobile because it handed,” the division stated.
The automobile was subsequently struck 4 instances, with one spherical hanging the juvenile passenger within the leg.
Detectives later realized the group was reportedly partaking in a recreation of “ding-dong ditch” within the neighborhood, a standard prank through which people ring doorbells earlier than operating away, however didn’t strategy Mason’s dwelling.
On Monday, authorities arrested Mason on expenses of felony assault with a lethal weapon with intent to kill inflicting severe harm, 4 counts of felony assault with a lethal weapon and felony discharging a weapon into an occupied automobile inflicting severe bodily harm, based on the Iredell County Sheriff’s Workplace.
He was issued no bond as he awaits an look earlier than a district courtroom decide.
Fox Information Digital was unable to right away find an lawyer representing Mason.
As of Monday, the juvenile sufferer was within the hospital and nonetheless receiving medical remedy for his or her accidents.
The Iredell County Sheriff’s Workplace declined Fox Information Digital’s request for remark, citing an lively investigation.
