One person airlifted after stabbing in northwestern Rowan County
Published 9:23 pm Tuesday, March 26, 2024
(The story has been updated to reflect that deputies responded to the 7000 block of Woodleaf Road, instead of the 4000 block as was originally reported. The story has also been updated to reflect new information from the sheriff’s office.)
ROWAN COUNTY — A dispute between neighbors led to one person being airlifted and another person injured after a stabbing on Tuesday night.
Deputies initially responded to the 7000 block of Woodleaf Road at approximately 8:22 p.m. in reference to an ongoing disturbance, according to a spokesperson for the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies were also notified of a potential victim at a nearby residence by the intersection of Old Oak Lane and Campbell Road, according to a release from the sheriff’s office.
Initially, there were reports of multiple victims suffering from gunshot wounds and stab wounds, however the spokesperson confirmed that deputies and emergency personnel were unable to locate anyone suffering from a gunshot wound.
The altercation was the result of an ongoing and lengthy dispute between neighbors, according to the release.
Deputies were able to determine that multiple shots were fired during the altercation, but nobody was struck by the gunfire, according to the release. Evidence at the scene pointed to both a shotgun and handgun being used.
One person, identified by the release as Michael Lovell, was treated on scene and airlifted to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist for a stab wound to the neck, according to the spokesperson. The release states that Lovell is expected to recover from his injuries. Another person, identified as Ryelli Casper, was struck in the head by a baseball bat. Casper is also expected to recover from her injuries, according to the release.
The incident is the subject of an active and ongoing investigation, the spokesperson said. Charges are pending as a result of the incident, according to the release.