Teen hospitalized after shots fired during fight at Mooresville Dragway, NC cops say

A fight at Mooresville Dragway late Saturday ended with a teen shot in the chest, according to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.

The victim was a 19-year-old Mooresville man, the sheriff’s office said in a press release. He is expected to survived but “may require surgery to repair internal damage,” officials said.

A suspect has not been identified in the case and no arrests have been made.

Investigators say the incident happened around 11 p.m. near the tower at Mooresville Dragway, a drag racing venue at 1255 Wilkinson Road. The site, about 31 miles north of uptown Charlotte, was hosting a two-day “Gorilla Bike Fest” event called the “King of Grudge Weekend,” according to its Facebook page.

“The shooting occurred near the tower at the dragstrip and was the result of some kind of altercation involving several people,” sheriff’s office officials said.

The victim was taken to Northeast Medical Center, where he is expected to remain “several more days,” officials said.

“Witnesses have been interviewed, but Investigators are still trying to determine the events that led up to the shooting,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.“Investigators were able to talk with (the victim), but he provided minimal information and was generally uncooperative with Investigators.”

Witnesses are asked to contact Rowan County Sheriff’s Office investigators Patrick Schmeltzer at 704-216-8702, or Tyler Bare at 704-216-8700.

Mooresville Dragway describes itself as a 1/8-mile track that offers a “family oriented fun place to bring the family and watch a lot of good racing,” according to its Facebook page.

The track is adjacent to a series of racing-oriented businesses, including offices for Port City Racecars, Heintz Racing and Spraker Racing Entertainment.

This story was originally published May 2, 2021 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Teen hospitalized after shots fired during fight at Mooresville Dragway, NC cops say."