FRANKLIN
An argument from a party in Southampton County spilled over to the Dorchester Square apartments in Franklin, where a 22-year-old Newsoms man was shot, said Capt. Tim Whitt, spokesman for the Franklin Police Department.

On Sunday at 1:10 a.m., officers received a tip of shots being fired at the complex. When they arrived, the crowd was dispersing by vehicle and on foot. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate any victims or witnesses.

Not long after that search, the officers were called to the Southampton Memorial Hospital Emergency Room on a report of a gunshot victim. Tony Sledge Jr. had been struck in the face and neck by shotgun pellets, and he was treated and released. Investigators discovered that at least two people were shooting, one with a shotgun and another with a pistol. Two apartments were struck by gunfire. Officers checked on the welfare of the residents and found that there were no injuries, just property damage.

The department is asking for witnesses to come forward and assist with the investigation. You may call Detective Randall Bailey direct at 562-2849 or Franklin Crime Solvers at 562-8599, information that leads to an arrest can earn the caller a cash reward while remaining anonymous.