Two men from Wilmington were in the Bladen County Detention Center and another man was hospitalized in critical condition Saturday following a shooting at an abandoned lumber mill in Bladen County, Sheriff James McVicker said.
David Wayne Gore, 57, has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and is being held under a $100,000 bond. Ryan Ciro Thau, 33, who was not injured in the incident, has been charged with felonious larceny and is being held under a $5,000 bond, according to a news release from McVicker.
Allen W. Blanchard, 34, also from Wilmington, was airlifted from the scene to New Hanover Memorial Hospital in Wilmington, McVicker said.
The shooting happened about 10:30 a.m. Saturday at an abandoned lumber mill off NC 210 in the Kelly area that is owned by Squires Timber, according to McVicker.
“What we know at this time is that a boat was stolen in New Hanover County on Dec. 17, and the owner of the shop where the boat had been left for
repair received information the boat might be located in Bladen County,” McVicker said.
The sheriff said that Gore, who is the owner of the shop, came to Bladen County on Saturday looking for leads about where the stolen boat may be. Gore saw Thau and Blanchard loading scrap metal in a truck at the abandoned mill and confronted them. During the altercation, McVicker said, Gore shot Blanchard.
“The owners of Squires Timber did not know any of the individuals involved and did not know they were on the property and had given no one permission to be on the property,” McVicker said.
McVicker said the investigation is continuing.
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