CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A North Carolina man is hospitalized after he was ambushed while sitting in a Charleston parking lot early Friday morning.
Zion Mitchell, 22, of Gastonia, N.C., was shot while sitting in the passenger seat of a parked car at a vacant parking lot on Charleston’s west side. According to police Mitchell was there to meet another individual, but instead came under fire from a stranger.
“An unknown subject, they don’t know if it was a male or female, wearing dark clothing, a mask, and hoodie approached them and fired several shots into the car,” said Charleston Police Chief of Detectives Lt. Tony Hazelett.
Hazelett said the woman who was driving sped away from the scene in search of an officer. She found one about a block away near the intersection of Stockton Street and West Washington Street.
“The officer noticed at least three gunshot wounds to the victim. He was shot in the head, neck, and bicep,” Hazelett said.
The victim was taken by ambulance to CAMC where he’s is in stable condition.
The suspect got away on foot, but without a good description Hazelett said they are struggling to determine who the shooter may have been.
“It’s awfully tough since it was dark, but we’re trying to find some surveillance video in the area. It’s going to be tough,” he said.
Hazelett said the victim and the female driver did not disclose who they were supposed to meet or the nature of the meeting to investigators.