On Saturday, January 3, at approximately 11:20 p.m., Deputies with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office were conducting a traffic stop on Taylorsville Highway when they heard multiple gunshots coming from a nearby neighborhood.
Within two minutes, Deputies were in the area of Absher Farm Loop to locate the origin of the gunfire. While responding, Iredell County Emergency Communications (ECOM) received a 911 call reporting a person with a gunshot wound on Castle Pines Drive, located within the same neighborhood.
Upon arrival, Deputies located an unoccupied vehicle stopped in the roadway with passenger doors open, broken glass on the ground, and apparent bullet holes in the vehicle. Deputies then observed several individuals in a nearby field. When deputies made contact, they encountered five juveniles, one of whom was on the ground suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg.
Iredell County EMS responded to the scene and transported the injured juvenile to Wake Forest Baptist Hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Investigators learned the juveniles were traveling through the neighborhood when an unknown individual fired a gun at their vehicle. One round entered the vehicle and struck the victim in the leg.
During the investigation, an individual approached Deputies and identified himself as the shooter. Craig Steven Mason, of 200 Staffordshire Drive, told investigators he had been asleep and was awakened by loud noises coming from a neighboring residence. He stated that he retrieved a handgun and went outside to investigate the incident. Mason told detectives he observed a vehicle driving through the neighborhood with no headlights on, and he fired multiple rounds toward the vehicle as it passed. The vehicle was struck four times, with one round striking the juvenile passenger.
Detectives determined the juveniles were in the neighborhood engaging in a prank commonly referred to as “ding-dong ditch,” involving ringing doorbells and knocking on doors before running away. Detectives determined the juvenile victims had not approached Mason’s residence, only nearby homes.
Craig Steven Mason
Mason was arrested on Monday, January 5, and held without bond.
At the time of this news release, the juvenile victim remains hospitalized and is receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained during the incident. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming.