Cabarrus deputies searching for rest-stop shooting suspects

Saturday, around 8 p.m., deputies say Greg McKee, 43, was shot at the southbound rest area off I-85 in Cabarrus County. Officials say he was not robbed.

McKee reportedly told deputies that he was washing his hands when two men came into the restroom and stood on either side of him. He said he turned to run out and that's when he was shot in the back.

In a statement sent to WBTV, McKee's wife said that her husband was paralyzed from the waist down. Terrie McKee wrote that her husband is a father of four and that their family's lives have been changed forever.

“In a senseless, random act of violence, my husband's life, and our entire family's life, was forever changed," McKee wrote. "We are now forced to deal with the ramifications of my husband being paralyzed from the waist down. While we desperately want these two men brought to justice, it is our fervent prayer that somehow they will come to know the only way to fill the vacuum that is in their empty hearts is by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. There is no other way.

"Greg and I have four children, all of whom have special needs ranging from autism to ADHD and diabetes and chronic migraines. Ages are 21 (autism), 18, 17 and 5. Now we must deal with getting our home handicapped accessible and dealing with my husband's daily living needs. I am a stay-at-home, homeschooling mother with chronic pain myself.

She ended her statement by saying, "The depth of the pain, heartache, and financial burden these two men caused cannot be measured.”

McKee spoke to WBTV about the incident Sunday evening.

"Hug your family tighter tonight, because you have no idea what tomorrow may bring," she said.

She described the incident as horrific and said it was something you would hear about in the news but never expect to deal with in real life.

"My daughter, 5 years old, was just sitting on the floor looking at her daddy in his own blood," McKee explained.

McKee said she didn't know whether her husband would survive the incident. She said she has no idea why her husband was targeted and said the men didn't try to take any of his belongings.

"It could've been anybody. They could've shot my son," she said.

A woman of Christian faith, McKee said she will forgive the men responsible if they repent for their sins.

"I pray to God that they will find someone who will introduce them to my savior, Jesus Christ, so that they will never hurt someone else again," she said.

McKee said she hasn't started to think about the new challenges her family will now face as a result of this tragedy.

Deputies say the man in the surveillance video immediately left the scene. They are hoping to identify him with the public's help.

Those contacting Crime Stoppers may qualify for a reward of up to $1,000.