UNION COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA – A homeowner used a rifle to defend his home against a pair of early-morning intruders, shooting and wounding one of the suspects. Union County deputies were called to the home on Rock Hill Church Road in rural Union County around 12:45 a.m. on Sunday.
Deputies say two people, one armed with a handgun, broke into an occupied home. They were greeted by the occupant of the home, who was also armed. The resident fired several rounds from a rifle, hitting one of the intruders who was transported to Novant Health Matthews Medical Center suffering from a gunshot wound in the thigh area.
The other suspect was identified as Aaron Elijah Ross, 29, of Charlotte. He was arrested and booked into the Union County Jail, charged with first-degree burglary. The other suspect will face similar charges after he is released from the hospital, as his wounds are not thought to be life-threatening.
No charges have been filed against the resident who fired the shots, and deputies are still investigating. North Carolina is a “Castle Doctrine” state, with no duty to retreat before using lethal force in justifiable circumstances.
