Kannapolis man charged with kidnapping, assault in shooting of estranged wife
Published 12:10 am Wednesday, October 23, 2019
JON C. LAKEY/SALISBURY POST Detectives from the Kannapolis Police Department executed a search warrant on a home on East 29th Street in North Kannapolis on Tuesday afternoon. The home was the location where suspect shooter Gary Belk was found by Rowan County Sheriff deputies. Law enforcement say that Belk went to his estranged wife's work and kidnapped her at gun point early this morning. A short time later the victim, Valerie Belk, was shot, reportedly in the shoulder and escaped in her own car not far from where she was kidnapped. Kannapolis,North Carolina,10/22/19.
JON C. LAKEY/SALISBURY POST Detectives from the Kannapolis Police Department executed a search warrant on a home on East 29th Street in North Kannapolis on Tuesday afternoon. The home was the location where suspect shooter Gary Belk was found by Rowan County Sheriff deputies. Law enforcement say that Belk went to his estranged wife's work and kidnapped her at gun point early this morning. A short time later the victim, Valerie Belk, was shot, reportedly in the shoulder and escaped in her own car not far from where she was kidnapped. Kannapolis,North Carolina,10/22/19.
JON C. LAKEY/SALISBURY POST Detectives from the Kannapolis Police Department executed a search warrant on a home on East 29th Street in North Kannapolis on Tuesday afternoon. The home was the location where suspect shooter Gary Belk was found by Rowan County Sheriff deputies. Law enforcement say that Belk went to his estranged wife's work and kidnapped her at gun point early this morning. A short time later the victim, Valerie Belk, was shot, reportedly in the shoulder and escaped in her own car not far from where she was kidnapped. Kannapolis,North Carolina,10/22/19.
JON C. LAKEY/SALISBURY POST Detectives from the Kannapolis Police Department executed a search warrant on a home on East 29th Street in North Kannapolis on Tuesday afternoon. The home was the location where suspect shooter Gary Belk was found by Rowan County Sheriff deputies. Law enforcement say that Belk went to his estranged wife's work and kidnapped her at gun point early this morning. A short time later the victim, Valerie Belk, was shot, reportedly in the shoulder and escaped in her own car not far from where she was kidnapped. Kannapolis,North Carolina,10/22/19.
By Shavonne Walker
shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com
KANNAPOLIS — Hours after the Tuesday morning lockdown of a number of Rowan-Salisbury and Kannapolis schools, a man was in custody after authorities say he kidnapped and shot his estranged wife.
Kannapolis police charged Gary Belk Sr., 66, of 401 East 29th St. in Kannapolis, with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and first-degree kidnapping in the shooting of Valerie Belk.
Kannapolis police said at about 7:15 a.m. Valerie Belk arrived at her place of employment on in Kannapolis. She was approached by Gary Belk, who allegedly pointed a handgun at her and ordered her back inside her car and told her to drive around the block.
In the area of 100 North Ridge Ave., Valerie Belk tried to get out of the car and run from Gary Belk, police said. It was at that point, police said, that Gary Belk fired one shot from his handgun, striking Valerie Belk in the shoulder. She sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was able to get back inside her car and leave the scene.
The shooting led to code yellow lockdowns at North Rowan Middle School, North Rowan High School, Southeast Middle School and Faith Elementary School as well as A.L. Brown High School. School officials said those schools were placed on lockdown as a precaution because Gary Belk had relatives in those schools.
Gary Belk was later taken into custody at his home in Rowan County by deputies from the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office. Officials said he was taken to the Cabarrus County Jail. However, as of Tuesday night, Belk had not been formally booked into the jail.
When asked if some sort of fight preceded the incident, Kannapolis Police Chief Woody Chavis said no argument occurred between husband and wife.
Investigators from the Kannapolis Police Department’s Felony Investigations Unit processed multiple scenes on Tuesday, including Gary Belk’s 29th Street home. A Kannapolis Police officer remained at the scene for much of Tuesday to await an official search warrant.
Kannapolis detectives were seen checking around the outside of the home, a detached three-car garage and inside the home, which sits at the corner of 29th Street and Alexander Avenue. Detectives collected items from the home and a crime scene investigator could be seen taking pictures of a pill bottle found on the front porch.
Rowan County Sheriff’s officials confirmed Gary Belk reported Oct. 17 to the agency he found a GPS tracker on his vehicle. He told them he believed it was placed there by his estranged wife. Rowan authorities say they were looking into the incident but did not confirm whether investigators verified Belk’s claims.
Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.