Lenoir Man Charged With Attempted Murder In Wilkes County

The Wilkesboro Police Department has charged a Lenoir man with attempted first-degree murder in connection with an incident that occurred at a convenience store early on the morning of March 22.

U.S. Deputy Marshals arrested 34-year old Dwayne Eugene Pratt in Cornelius on April 21st. on the Wilkes County charges.

Wilkesboro Police were dispatched to the Fast Track convenience store on U.S. 421 in Wilkesboro in response to a larceny shortly after 1am on March 22nd. A store employee told officers that a man entered business and got a Monster energy drink from the cooler. The clerk rang up the purchase and the man pulled out a gun. “The man stated he wanted all the money and told the clerk to not press the alarm button.” The black male subject fired multiple rounds inside the store.

Investigators reviewed security video of the incident and found two 9mm shell casings.

The suspect exited the store and traveled east on U.S. 421 in a black four-door sedan.

In addition to the attempted first-degree murder charge, Pratt has been cited with robbery with a dangerous weapon, second-degree kidnapping and discharging a firearm in an enclosed space to incite fear.

Pratt is being held in the Wilkes County Jail.

The WILKES JOURNAL PATRIOT contributed to this story