Authorities are trying to determine who shot a Rowan County man early Saturday morning along Hawkinstown Road. Rowan County Sheriff’s investigators say Rodney Markeith Jones, 33, was not cooperative and withdrew his request for further investigation, officials said.
The incident was brought to the attention of law enforcement when Jones was taken to Novant Health Rowan Medical Center on Saturday with gunshot wounds to the abdomen and ankle. Jones was brought into the hospital, authorities said, by a man who told investigators he found Jones lying in the middle of the road. The shooting is said to have occurred about 5 a.m.
The man told detectives he was traveling along Hawkinstown Road when he almost struck Jones in his vehicle. He said Jones was in the road in the 400 block of Hawkinstown Road. The driver told detectives he’d been at a friend’s East Ridge Road home, eventually driving to 7th Street and onto Hawkinstown Road. It was not clear if the two knew each other. The man drove Jones to the hospital. Hospital staff told investigators they believe Jones was shot with a small-caliber handgun.
Deputies received a call from a woman who said she was Jones’ niece and she’d heard he was shot, but she could not locate him.
She told authorities she believed Jones’ Jeep Cherokee was parked on Hawkinstown Road. Other relatives, who were looking for Jones’ vehicle, contacted investigators. Detectives found the vehicle and went to a home in the 900 block of Hawkinstown Road and discovered a limousine riddled with bullet holes along with shell casings. Investigators believe the shooting took place in and around that home. No arrests have been made.
Jones was later flown to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center where he was to have surgery.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Rowan Sheriff’s Investigator A.D. Loflin at 704-216-8686, or Lt. C.A. Moose at 704-216-8687 or Crime Stoppers at 866-639-5245.