By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — A man is dead after authorities say he attempted to rob a Lee Street homeowner late Saturday night. The suspect broke into a home at 813 N. Lee St. and “pistol-whipped” the occupant. But the homeowner was able to get the gun and shoot the suspect.
Salisbury Police confirmed the struggle and that the would-be robber tried to run away around the corner from the house.
Police didn’t identify the dead man pending notification of relatives. He died on the front porch of a nearby home at 125 E. Steele St. of a gunshot wound, said Salisbury Police Capt. Shelia Lingle.
The homeowners at 125 E. Steele St. were home at the time of the incident, around 10:30 p.m.
A second person may have been involved in the robbery attempt, but investigators could not confirm that.
The North Lee Street homeowner, a 47-year-old man, was taken to Rowan Regional Medical Center with minor injuries and as a precaution, Lingle said.
One neighbor, Addie “Sue” Judge, said the homeowner knocked on her door and asked for help.
He told Judge he was hurt and he had just shot someone.
Judge said she was scared and regrets not letting the man into her house while she called police.
She said she saw two men running up the street after the shooting.
“He’s a sweet guy,” she said of her neighbor.
James Woodson, another neighbor, said he didn’t hear the shooting.
Woodson said he was asleep and was awakened by the telephone. A neighbor called to ask him if he knew what was happening next door.
“She called me and said, ‘Look outside your door,’ ” Woodson said.
Other neighbors said they heard someone screaming for help, but didn’t know who it was. No one gathered on the street Saturday night said they heard any gunshots.
The neighbors said the homeowner had just been robbed about two weeks ago.
Salisbury Police detectives continue to investigate.
Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253.