COVID-19 Update

According to the latest figures on Burke County’s on-line dashboard, Burke now has 9-thousand-187 positive cases of COVID-19.

771 cases are reported to be active, and 6 people are hospitalized.

McDowell County health officials report 49 new cases Monday, and two additional virus-related deaths.

McDowell’s total is now at 4-thousand-547 positives, with 185 residents in quarantine.

Caldwell County reported 39 new cases of coronavirus for a total of 8-thousand-371, with 27 Caldwell residents in the hospital.

Catawba County saw an additional 47 cases of COVID-19 for a total of 16-thousand-546 and 45 patients are hospitalized.

Bigfoot Missing

Another Bigfoot statue has been stolen – this time in McDowell County.

A Zion Hill Road resident reported last Tuesday that someone had removed the gray concrete 3-foot-tall 150 pound statue from his yard.

Anyone with information about the theft should call McDowell County detective Lambert at 652-2237.

McDowell authorities are also warning citizens about the latest phone scam – this one in which the caller poses as an Amazon security representative.

The caller identifies themselves as Amazon security, saying an account has been compromised, and further requests a credit card number to straighten the matter out.

Officials say Amazon already has your credit card info and have no reason to secure it again.

Remember do not give money or personal information to those you don’t know.

Ask for a name and number to verify the caller is legitimate.

Anyone with questions or concerns can call the McDowell Sheriff’s Office at 652-2235.

Hickory Shooting

Catawba County authorities report a man was shot and killed after he opened fire on a gathering at a Hickory event center early Valentine’s Day morning.

Officers responded to the reported incident at the Stump Event Center just after 1 Sunday morning, to find a large crowd and two people shot.

Reports say Jordan Ramseur was pronounced dead at the scene; while the other shooting victim was taken to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

An investigation indicates eye witnesses at the scene revealed that Ramseur fired a shot into a group of people gathered outside the front entrance of the center.

A shot believed to have been fired by Ramseur reportedly struck a patron in the leg.

In turn, investigators believe a patron then fired upon Ramseur.

The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office is consulting with the county’s district attorney’s office in the investigation.

No charges have been filed yet.

A Charlotte TV station reports the owner of the event center stated ALE agents warned him two weeks ago that he was violating the governor’s executive order.

 

 Rutherford Shooting

A weekend shooting in Rutherford County leaves one man injured.

Deputies responded to the reported incident at a residence on Ferry Road Sunday.

When officers arrived, they found 31-year-old Christopher Fite sitting in a truck.

Reports say Fite was suffering from a gunshot wound to the arm.

Fite was transported to Cleveland Regional Med Center where he was hospitalized overnight.

Sheriff’s office reports say Fite had gone to the home to speak with someone when he became involved in an altercation with 20-year-old Zachary Waters.

Waters is accused of shooting Fite.

No charges have yet been filed.

Detectives continue to investigate, and will consult with the Rutherford County DA’s office for any possible charges.