Sniper shoots Fremont man accused of threatening wife, deputies

James Gary Moskos, 39, of 220 Miller Road, surrendered after being shot and was taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

Deputies were called to Moskos' neighbor's house at 219 Miller Road around 8:40 p.m. Friday in reference to an alleged domestic dispute. The caller told authorities that Moskos came to the house searching for his wife, who had sought refuge with the neighbors – a man and woman.

Moskos shot through the neighbor's front door as his wife hid in a closet, and the man and woman hid in a bedroom and the kitchen, authorities said. Moskos found the man and threatened to kill him if he didn't say where Moskos' wife was hiding, deputies said. Moskos' gun went off during the confrontation, causing a minor wound to the neighbor's hand, authorities said.

The suspect's wife ran from the house and called 911 for help. Authorities said that as Moskos chased her, the neighbors were also able to get out of the house and call 911.

Moskos then went back to his house and ran into the woods, armed with multiple weapons, authorities said. He shot his gun twice and shouted curse words and threats as deputies surrounded him, they said.

SWAT team members arrived at the scene as Moskos came out of the woods, got into a vehicle and tried to start it, authorities said. He then got into a second vehicle, a truck, drove it toward deputies, stopping short of hitting them, and threatened to harm them, authorities said.

Moskos then drove off, circled his house and again sped toward deputies, according to sheriff's officials, who gave the SWAT team an order to shoot and disable the truck. A sniper's bullet went through the truck's front grill and motor compartment into the passenger area and then hit Moskos, who then surrendered.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting, which is standard in any law enforcement officer involved shooting.

Moskos will face felony charges once he is released from the hospital, authorities said.

He has three previous misdemeanor convictions for resisting an officer from 2003, according to state Department of Correction records.