Terrifying Home Invasion Incident Turns De-adly: Gaston County Resident Sh00ts Suspected Intruder in the Chest, Authorities Say
GASTONIA, N.C. (WBTV) – A homeowner shot a 57-year-old man in the chest earlier this month as he attempted to break into a Gaston County home, police reported Wednesday.
On the morning of Sunday, July 12, a homeowner fired one shot at a man who was trying to break into his home, Gastonia police reported on July 22. The man, identified as 57-year-old Cedric Ford, was hospitalized for a gunshot wound in the chest and later arrested, police said.
Security camera footage shared by police showed Ford appear to open the window of a home and try to push through it. He then used his backside to try to push through the front door before returning to the window, according to the video.
Gastonia police said the homeowner, initially identified as an elderly person with disabilities, shot Ford once through the window. Police did not immediately say what type of firearm was used.
“The homeowner told investigators he did not know he had struck Ford, but he did know his actions stopped the attempted break-in,” police said on social media on Wednesday.
The homeowner had reported multiple burglaries and robberies within the last month that involved Ford and his girlfriend, according to police. The girlfriend was identified as 47-year-old Sanja Stallings.
After being released from the hospital, Ford was charged with attempted first-degree burglary and felony obstruction of justice, for allegedly lying to police about how he was shot. Stallings was also arrested and charged with first-degree burglary, police said.
The homeowner was not going to face charges for the shooting, officials said.
Doorbell video captures attempted break-in
On July 22, Gastonia police shared doorbell camera footage of the alleged attempted break-in at the home on July 12.
The video appears to show Ford walk up to the front door of the home and attempt to open it, but it appeared to be locked.
Ford then appears to go to nearby window and attempt to open it. Another angle of the alleged break-in shows Ford appearing to move the screen up and use his hands to attempt to break the window.
The security camera footage then appears to show Ford go back to the door and use his rear-end to try and break open the door. Ford appears to go back to the window and open it again before the video ends. It’s believed that’s when the homeowner fired the shot.
You can watch the video shared by police below.
Police: Man lied about how he was shot
At around 7:17 a.m. on July 12, Ford called 911 and said he was shot in an alleged drive-by shooting near Washington Street and Overman Avenue.
Ford and his girlfriend Stallings waited at a QuickTrip nearby, and told police that they were shot by an unknown person driving a white vehicle.
Gastonia police said as they investigated the alleged drive-by shooting, they learned that Stallings and Ford were connected to a robbery off Ware Avenue.
Police said they used Flock Safety’s Audio Detection System and it picked up a gunshot off Ware Avenue around 7:14 a.m. The Flock audio system does “not record audio all the time; they “sleep” until an impulsive sound triggers them,” Gastonia police said.
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Police said that using the audio detection system, they learned that Ford attempted to break into the man’s Gastonia home at around 7:13 a.m. on July 12. That’s when Ford was reportedly shot once in the chest.
Gastonia police said that Ford then drove himself and Stallings to the gas station and called 911, where they waited for emergency responders.
Officials said Ford was taken into custody after his release from the hospital. Ford was charged with attempted first-degree burglary and felony obstruction of justice.
