A North Carolina man is being charged with three open counts of murder after shooting three residents within the same day. According to reports, the son of two of the victims held the alleged shooter at gunpoint until the police arrived.
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The suspect, David Lever, 55. from Greenville, North Carolina, was arrested and charged on Jan. 11. The incident took place on Friday Jan. 10. A timeline of events was given to WCTI by Pitt County Sheriff Paula Dance.
Dance reported that Lever was seen leaving his property around 1:28 p.m. The suspect then “left a Speedway gas station on NC 43 North, heading towards Peace Ridge Court”, where two of the victims lived. The Pitt County Sheriff’s office received calls about the gunshots shortly after.
The first victim, Enrique Reyes, 64, lived on the same street as Lever and was thought to be the first one shot. Dance then stated that another call was received around 2:17 p.m. in correspondence to the couple that was killed afterwards. The couple was Anthony Gribble, 80, and Paula Gribble, 76, who lived on Peace Ridge Court.
The Pitt County Sheriff’s Office received a third call around 2:50 p.m. about a home invasion and more gunshots. Lever is suspected to be involved in this crime as well. The third home was not occupied.
“Let me offer my condolences to the family and friends of all the victims,” Dance told WITN.
Sheriff Reports That Man Would’ve Shot More People If Son Had Not Held Him At Gunpoint
Dance also told the outlet that if the Gribbles’ son had not held Lever at gunpoint, then more people may have been killed.
“The investigation of these cases leads us to believe there would have been additional victims had a family member of the victims not intervened until our deputies were able to arrive,” Dance added.
Police are unaware of any connection between Lever and Reyes, but have discovered that Lever was reportedly the Gribble’s realtor back in 2014.
The first court date for Lever was held on Monday Jan. 13 and his second is scheduled for Jan. 29.