Two Old Fort men are being sought by McDowell County authorities as possible witnesses to a shooting.

29-year-old Dustin Bryan Smith and 36-year-old Brandon Lee Wilson are wanted for questioning regarding the shooting of 17-year-old Gabryiel Byrd of Marion on Wednesday.

Byrd was reportedly shot in the hand while at Smith’s and Wilson’s residence on Silvers Welch Road.

Byrd was treated at Mission Hospital McDowell.

Circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Smith and/or Wilson should contact the McDowell Sheriff’s Office at 652-2235.

Offender David Burleson died Saturday afternoon at Scotland Correctional Institution after an apparent suicide.

According to a news release from the State Department of Public Safety, Burleson was found unresponsive in his cell just after 12 Noon. Prison and medical staff along with local paramedics responded, but he was pronounced dead at 12:42 p.m.

Burleson was admitted to prison on June 21st as a habitual felon from a series of charges in Burke County. His projected release date was June 27, 2025.

The Scotland County Sheriff's Office was called in to assist with the investigation.

A Lenoir man faces charges in connection with a car wash break-in.

Lenoir Police officers responded Thursday night to a call of larceny at Bonnie Mist Car Wash #4 on Harper Avenue just after 8:40. Officers found damage to vacuum cleaners and a credit card scanner had been ripped off the wall. On Friday morning at 1:09, a Lenoir officer spotted someone near the vacuum cleaners that matched a description of the suspect, who officers had seen on video surveillance.

29-year-old Noah Daniel Pace was taken into custody and charged with felony counts of attempted breaking and entering and possession of burglar tools and a misdemeanor charge of breaking into a coin operated machine.

Bond was set at $5,000 secured and more charges may be forthcoming.

A woman was killed while her young son sustained injuries in a single-vehicle accident in Lincoln County Thursday morning.

A state Highway Patrol report states 29-year-old Heather Jade Hodge was traveling east on NC 182 when she apparently left the roadway, hit a culvert, and struck a tree.

Reports say she died at the scene.

Hodge was reportedly not wearing a seat belt.

Her 4-year-old son was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

According to the highway patrol report, he was restrained by a seat belt, but was not in a child restraint.