Bertie County residents react to Dollar General shooting death

The Bertie County Sheriff’s office is investigating a shooting that happened Saturday night at a Dollar General that left a 60-year-old man dead. Deputies found 60-year-old William Thomas Johnson of Plymouth suffering from multiple gunshot wounds when they got to the Merry Hill store around 9:30 p.m. Saturday. He was pronounced dead shortly after authorities got there.

Residents who live nearby said they heard the gunshots, and they found the shooting hitting too close to home.“I woke up to use the restroom and saw all the lights and the commotion, and I found out that somebody got killed,” said Gaspar Misseri. “This gun violence just won’t go away by itself.” Investigators said the suspect fled on foot and got into a car near the scene. North Carolina Highway Patrol, the Down East Drug and Violent Crime Task Force and the Ahoskie Police Department were called in Saturday night to help find the suspect. K-9 units and a drone were also used to assist with search efforts.

Some residents were shocked to hear this happened in their neighborhood, especially because many families with children live in the area. “What bothers me the most is that this store is visited by a lot of families, a lot of children, a lot of people going to the beach, and it bothers me a lot to know that something happened,” said resident Lisa Geffert.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the suspect was described to them as a black male wearing a blue hoodie and black pants. The investigation is currently in its early stages, and no arrests have been made. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has also been called in to assist with the investigation. The Bertie County Sheriff’s Office urges anyone who may have information related to the shooting to contact their investigations division at 252-794-5330.