Investigators: Dispute over woman leads to shooting at Rocky Point store

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — An argument over a woman led to a shooting at the Freshway Food Mart in Rocky Point, according to the Pender County Sheriff’s Office.

On Thursday afternoon at around 2:15 p.m., deputies responded to a report of two men in a fight outside of the Freshway Food Mart at 8117 US Hwy 117 South.

It was reported that one of the men had fired a gun during the fight.

Deputies responded and found Joshua Allen Watkins of Rocky Point and Frank Lee Johnson of Castle Hayne at the scene.

Investigators determined that during the fight over a woman, a pistol that Watkins had on him fell onto the ground. Johnson grabbed the pistol and shot towards Watkins’s foot but did not hit him.

Watkins was taken into custody and charged with possession of firearm by convicted felon. He is being held under a $10,000.00 secured bond.

Johnson was taken into custody and charged with assault by pointing a gun, simple assault and discharging a firearm near occupied structure. His bond is set at $1,500.00.