Shooting in Alexander County leaves one dead, one hurt

ALEXANDER COUNTY, N.C. — A shooting on Never Mountain Road in Alexander County on Wednesday left one person dead and another hurt.

The incident began around 11:15 a.m. Deputies are calling it a civil dispute over property boundaries between Robert Alan Carpenter, 65, and Joey Albert Williams, 74, both from Taylorsville.

The disagreement quickly escalated into an exchange of gunfire. Witnesses say as many as 15 shots were fired between the men.

“One said, ‘I’m not scared of you because you got that. I got one too,’” said witness Bradley Crump.  “And they said, ‘Put yours down.’ ‘No, you put yours down.’  He said, ‘I’m not putting mine down,’ and the shooting started.”

Upon arrival, deputies found Carpenter deceased at the scene, while the second person, his nephew, was treated by EMS and transported to Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem. Williams was not hurt during the shooting.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the incident due to Williams being a former deputy with the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, game warden, and bailiff.

Channel 9’s Dave Faherty spoke with a pastor who was doing work on a home next door. He says he called 911 after hearing the men arguing near where a tree had been cut down and then heard gunfire.

“We prayed for them that God would save them,” said The Rev. Bradley Crump. “That’s what we done and that God would deal with their hearts and realize what they need in their lives.”

The attorney for the former deputy said he believes this was a case of self defense.

As of now, no arrests have been made as investigators continue to gather evidence and interview witnesses.

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