On Jan. 12, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting call at 275 Farm House Road, Salisbury. When deputies arrived, 42-year-old Robert Chad Christie, aka Kelly, was discovered with a gun shot wound to the leg.

Michael Paul Smith, from Hephzibah, Georgia, was also on the scene and later identified as the suspect in the shooting.

Sheriff’s Criminal Investigation Division detectives determined that Smith found Christie through an advertisement on “Back Page,” and made arrangements to meet with Robert “Kelly” Christie for sexual contact at the Farm House Road residence.

Michael Paul Smith drove to the location from the Charlotte area, where he met with Christie and completed a pre-arranged sexual act. After the meeting, a disagreement occurred and Smith produced a firearm, with which he fired multiple shots at Christie, striking him in the leg. He also fired into the occupied house.

Christie was taken to the hospital for treatment.

As a result of the investigation, warrants for felony assault and firing into occupied property were obtained for Michael Paul Smith. Robert Chad Christie was charged with prostitution, and 28-year-old Heather Fitzgerald was charged for providing Christie with the Farm House Road residence to engage in prostitution.

Robert Chad Christie “Kelly” remains in the Cabarrus County Jail under this prostitution charge and other outstanding Cabarrus County charges.

Heather Gilbert Fitzgerald was charged with felony promotion of prostitution for profit, and remains in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $5,000 secured bond.

Arrest warrants have been obtained on Michael Paul Smith for felony assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, felony discharging a weapon into an occupied dwelling and solicitation of prostitution. Rowan County Sheriff’s Office Detectives anticipate arresting Smith later this week. No photo of Smith is available at this time.