1 injured in Southern Pines drive-by shooting

Southern Pines Police Captain Charles Campbell said one man was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries following a shooting on West. Illinois Avenue at about 7:30 p.m.

“The bullet actually cauterized the blood vessels, so he did bleed out,” said witness Katrina Jones. “He’s doing pretty good. He’s very upset and he just doesn’t understand why this would happen to him because he’s not somebody who’s out here in the streets.”

Authorities said the man was having a cookout in his yard with his 10-year-old child nearby at the time of the shooting.

Multiple shots were fired and, initially, authorities believed there were multiple victims.

Witnesses reported seeing a silver or gray colored Jeep with out of state license plates leaving the scene.

Campbell said it is too soon to know if the incident is related to a drive-by shooting last week that killed a 12-year-old girl and injured a toddler, but said it was not a random event.

“Naturally, with the event that happened last week, the community is still in a mourning stage and just to let the community know, it wasn’t a random event. It was very much targeted but that we do need the cooperation of the community to help us in solving this crime,” Campbell said.