Authorities say a man was shot after he and his wife arrived home this morning to find robbers at their western Rowan County home.
The man’s name has not been released.
Around 10:15 a.m., the couple drove up to their home on Chenault Road near Cleveland, and the husband felt something wasn’t right, Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten said.
The couple got back into their vehicle and drove what they believed was a safe distance away. The man went back to the house, and the wife told authorities she heard gunshots.
The male victim had been shot in the head but was still alive when law enforcement found him. He has been taken by medical helicopter, but it’s not yet clear to what hospital.
Someone called 911 this morning and reported that someone was breaking into a house on Chenault Road and that shots had been fired.
Cleveland police and Rowan Sheriff’s Office deputies responded. The first law enforcement officer on the scene found the gunshot victim in a vehicle at the corner of a corn field. The man’s wife was not injured.
A neighbor said the couple were returning from vacation and that their home had been ransacked.
Authorities requested the N.C. Highway Patrol’s helicopter to help search for the assailant.
A witness told police an older-model, teal-colored Chevrolet Camaro may have been involved.
A Sheriff’s Office vehicle was also reported briefly on fire near where the shooting happened. Auten said a deputy was responding and another car ran his off the road. It’s not clear if that car was involved in the shooting.
Investigators continued searching the victim’s vehicle and a stretch of roadside where they found bullet casings.
A Post reporter is on the scene. Check back for more details as they become available.