Victim shoots at fleeing theft suspects and now he’s the one charged, NC cops say

The victim in a late-night theft is now himself facing felony charges after he’s accused of grabbing a pistol and shooting at the fleeing suspects, according to investigators in eastern North Carolina.

One of those shots critically injured a 15-year-old boy, the Nash County Sheriff’s Office says.

At issue in the case is whether the victim, Zachary Bryant, faced the kind of threat that justifies deadly force, investigators said at a March 16 press conference.

The shooting happened around 10 p.m. Friday, March 14, on sparsely populated Savage Road in the Spring Hope community, about a 35-mile drive northwest from Raleigh, the sheriff’s office said.

“While deputies were en route, the homeowner ... called 911 at 10:19 pm and advised that he had shot someone,” the sheriff’s office said in the release.

“Upon arrival, deputies located Mr. Bryant near a crashed vehicle. The vehicle had collided with a wooded area west of the residence. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement discovered a juvenile suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. The juvenile was transported to Wake Medical Center, where he remains in critical condition.”

The 15-year-old was driving when he was hit by gunfire, officials said. His passengers were 15, 14 and 16 years old.

Bryant reported he discovered the theft after being awakened by barking dogs. He looked out of his home to see two males running from his truck, then jump into a red vehicle, officials said. An inspection of the truck revealed tools were missing from his toolbox, he told investigators.

He then armed himself and was standing outside his home when he encountered a vehicle that matched the one seen driving away, officials said.

“As the vehicle traveled down Savage Road, Mr. Bryant fired multiple shots at the car, allegedly attempting to disable the vehicle,” officials said. “As the vehicle passed him, one of the rounds struck the driver in the head.”

The Nash County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case “and charges regarding the juveniles are pending further investigation,” officials said.

A person is justified to use deadly force “if he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or another,” the sheriff’s office noted.

“Bryant was away from his residence, outside of the path of the vehicle with no concern of the vehicle striking him,” officials said. “Mr. Bryant appeared to have tried to disable the vehicle’s tires with a firearm as the vehicle was passing him. The vehicle and the occupants appeared to be attempting to leave. Which at this point, does not meet the criteria for a justified used of deadly force.”

The decision to arrest Bryant has ignited an ongoing back-and-forth on social media, with over 1,000 reactions and comments shared on the sheriff’s office Facebook page.

“This man is in jail for protecting his own property that he worked for?” Brenda Clark Winstead wrote.

“That’s the American way (nowadays). Charge the people who work hard and contribute,” Cameron Cherry posted.

“His life wasn’t in any danger. The criminals had fled. You can only use deadly force if you’re in danger,” Ashley Kokoruda said.

This story was originally published March 17, 2025 at 6:56 AM with the headline "Victim shoots at fleeing theft suspects and now he’s the one charged, NC cops say."