Suspect in custody after allegedly shooting at officers on S. College Rd. near UNCW

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — One person has been arrested during an incident involving police near the UNCW campus.

Police say Edwin Leroy Vaughan, 69, is charged with two counts of Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer with a Firearm. More charges will be forthcoming.

Edwin Leroy Vaughan (Photo: WPD)

According to Wilmington Police, officers received reports of a person with a gun near the 400 block of S. College Rd and Randall Parkway around 10:30 Friday morning.

When officers arrived, they encountered the male suspect. Police say the man had his hands in his pockets and ran towards a nearby gas station, where he displayed a gun. Officers gave commands for the man to drop the gun, but he refused and threatened to shoot the officers.

The man then fired at officers, who then returned fire. Neither the officers nor the suspect were hit, and officers were able to arrest the man.

One of the bullets fired went through a window at Halloween 365, located across the street from the gas station, with the bullet hitting the leg of a mannequin.

No one was inside the store at the time of the shooting.

Store owner Scott Powell said this is not the first time a window has been damaged at his store and there’s a similar pattern between what happened Friday and a prior incident.

“When you look at the common denominator of those two that happened to us, it’s just one store on College,” Powell said. “You have people that have mental challenges that aren’t being treated. They’re out wandering the street. One guy just got mad because somebody stole some of his stuff, tosses a rock through a window as the way that he deals with that anger.”

Vaughn had previously been arrested for assault, damage to personal property and resisting arrest.

Wilmington Police say this is an active investigation and additional details will be released when they are available.