Man shot, killed in fight at Dunn hotel bar

Dunn, N.C. — A 25-year-old Dunn man was shot to death early Sunday outside the Royal Inn, 603 Spring Branch Road, police said.

Capt. Tony Strickland said that officers responded to calls around 2:30 a.m. about a fight and gunshots fired at the inn's bar. They found Robert Pressley, of Dunn, lying in the parking lot.

Pressley died of a gunshot wound at Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital.

Strickland said that detectives are interviewing witnesses to the shooting and trying to develop information about a suspect. The State Bureau of Investigation is assisting Dunn police.

Guests at the inn said they didn't hear gunshots last night and woke up to see police and SBI agents Sunday morning.

The owner of the hotel bar, the Royal Inn Lounge, said nothing like this had happened there before. The bar is open Friday and Saturday nights, and records show that alcohol permits for the bar were issued in October.

Workers at nearby businesses said that police patrol the bar on the weekends, but they didn't know of any prior problems there.

A sign stating "No Weapons" hangs next to the front door of the bar.

Anyone with information about the shooting should call Dunn police at 910-892-2399.

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Latest Comments

You would have to know the "rif-raf" that was attending I guess...

Weetie
December 6, 2010 2:05 p.m.

Ok let's read people the guy was on the ground outside the bar not inside the bar. The owner is very good about you have to sign in to go in and you have to be patted down and they wave a wand metal detector to check for weapons. This bar is not the problem the rif raf that hangs outside is.

CWILLIAMS1639
December 6, 2010 12:39 p.m.

I don't understand. "No weapons" signs normally deter criminal elements from using weapons to commit crimes. This shooter obviously didn't read the sign. Where are the anti-gun, no self-protection folks when you need them?