Homeowner Facing Charges After Shooting Fleeing Suspect

CARY, NORTH CAROLINA — A homeowner was jailed and is facing charges after shooting a suspect early Tuesday morning. Police were called around 3:30 to a reported car break-in on Matilda Place. Around the same time, they also received a 911 call reporting that a person who had been shot came into a home in the 100 block of Anita Way.

Police determined that 51-year-old Heng Ye, the owner of the Matilda Place home came outside and discovered a man in his vehicle. As the suspect exited the vehicle and fled from the scene on foot, Ye fired a gun at him.

Police found the injured man at the Anita Way address, a short distance from the scene of the alleged car break-in and shooting. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment of what were described as serious injuries, and police have not released his identity.

Police arrested Ye and charged him with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. He was booked into the Wake County Detention Center Tuesday and was released later that day on a $30,000 bond.

While North Carolina is a ‘Stand Your Ground” state, an individual must be in imminent danger of harm to use lethal force to defend themselves. If the suspect had any weapons or made any threats toward the homeowner, it was not mentioned by police. However, if the threat – whether real or perceived – is fleeing the scene there is no legal justification for self-defense.

Neighbor Anuj Hain was upset after learning that two bullets fired by Ye struck his home. “Somebody was shooting at our property, we could’ve been dead, that’s the way I look at it. Somebody’s stealing something from your car defend or whatever, you know, but don’t shoot at somebody. Especially don’t shoot at somebody who’s running at my home, I mean I could be dead.”

It appears that Ye not only violated State laws, but also violated several rules of gun safety which could have resulted in serious injury or death to members of the Hain family while they slept in their home.