Man shot by Soles says he was leaving property

The man shot by State Sen. R.C. Soles Sunday around 5:00 p.m. told WWAY he was walking away, when he was shot in the back of the leg. Kyle Blackburn is recovering in a South Carolina hospital and wanted to set the record straight about what happened.

Law enforcement was called to the Senator’s Tabor City home shortly after 5:00 Sunday afternoon. The Senator told authorities two men, both believed to be clients of his law practice, were trying to kick in his front door. Soles shot 22-year-old Kyle Blackburn. Blackburn was taken to Loris Community Hospital in South Carolina.

Monday WWAY was able to speak with Blackburn who wanted to tell his side of the story. Blackburn says he and BJ Wright were sitting on a pier behind the Senator’s home when they noticed Soles looking at them from a window. Blackburn says he knocked on the Senator’s back door, but got no response. He then tried the front door. When the Senator answered, Blackburn says Soles was carrying a shotgun and fired a warning shot in the air. Blackburn says he put his hands up in the air, told the Senator he was leaving and started to walk away. It was then Blackburn said the Senator shot him in the back of the leg.

Senator Soles has a surveillance system on his property, which Blackburn says will confirm his story. Our Durham affiliate caught up with Sen. Soles on Monday, but he had little to say regarding the incident.

“There’s an investigation going on and I’m not in a position to make any statement at this time,” Soles said. “I’m sorry you made a trip down here to get that comment, but until it’s cleared up I wouldn’t want to say anything that would prejudice anybody’s investigational rights.”

Blackburn scheduled an appointment to speak with us on camera Monday afternoon, but when we called to follow through Blackburn’s mother told us he “acquired representation and would no longer be taking phone calls.”

As we’ve previously reported, Sen. Soles has filed several complaints against his clients for trespassing. Last year, Blackburn and another legal client of Soles were arrested for trespassing while the Senator was away. A neighbor reported the suspicious activity, but allegedly Senator Soles declined to press charges.