IFN Staff

A western Iredell County resident faces several felony charges in connection with an incident in which a juvenile was shot while playing a prank over the weekend.

Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell announced the arrest of Craig Steven Mason, 59, of Staffordshire Drive, Statesville, in a news release on Monday.

About 11:20 p.m. on Saturday, ICSO deputies were conducting a traffic stop on Taylorsville Highway when they heard multiple gunshots coming from a nearby neighborhood, Campbell said.

Within two minutes, deputies had responded to the area of Absher Farm Loop to locate the source of the gunfire, according to the news release. While deputies were enroute, Iredell County Emergency Communications received a 911 call reporting a person with a gunshot wound on Castle Pines Drive, located within the same neighborhood, Campbell said.

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 encountered five juveniles, including one suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg, in a nearby field.

Iredell County EMS personnel responded to the scene and transported the injured juvenile to Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center for medical treatment.

During the initial investigation, deputies learned the juveniles had been traveling through the neighborhood when an unknown individual fired a gun at their vehicle, Campbell said. One round entered the vehicle and struck the victim in the leg.

Detectives and Crime Scene Investigators responded to the scene and interviewed multiple witnesses and collected physical evidence, including surveillance videos from nearby residences, according to the news release.

During the investigation, Mason approached deputies and identified himself as the shooter, the sheriff said.

The suspect told investigators he had been asleep and was awakened by loud noises coming from a neighboring residence, according to the news release. Mason 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, Campbell said. The vehicle was struck four times, with one round striking the juvenile passenger.

Through further investigation, 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, according to the news release.

Based on the investigation, detectives obtained arrest warrants charging Mason with Felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury, four counts of Felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and Felony Discharging a Weapon into an Occupied Vehicle Causing Serious Bodily Injury.

Mason was arrested on Monday. He ordered held without bond by Magistrate S. Watkins pending a first appearance in court.

The shooting victim remained hospitalized on Monday.

The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may be filed, Campbell said.