Someone is shooting at cars on major highway near I-95 in NC. Bullet holes found

A suspected sniper has been taking shots at passing vehicles on a major highway in Eastern North Carolina, and it may have been going on for days, witnesses say.

Police in Bailey, 35 miles east of Raleigh, posted a warning to drivers in Wilson County late Wednesday.

“Please be careful if traveling 264 East,” the post said. “There have been reports of vehicles being shot at between mile marker 38-40.”

Investigators with the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office told WITN that five vehicles were shot at Wednesday in just one hour.

In an update, Bailey police said the shootings occurred on U.S. 264 East near the Interstate 95 exit at Sims, a town of 282 people. The department said it contacted sheriff’s offices in both Nash and Wilson counties about the investigation.

“Even though this occurred in Wilson County, we all work together to keep the public safe,” the update said.

Wanda Samuel of the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office said “several vehicles were struck by bullets” Wednesday, but no injuries were reported, according to The Enterprise. “We have no evidence that indicates if the shootings were intentional or unintentional,” she told the news outlet.

Multiple people responded to the Bailey Police Department’s Facebook post with stories of their vehicle being struck by suspected bullets in recent days.

Among them was Hugh Scott II, a principal with the Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools. He said the warning came too late for him and posted a photo of damage to his vehicle.

“Anyone and everyone please call 911 as soon as possible when this happens but it’s not recommended to stay in the area. Mine happened at 4:54 Tuesday,” he wrote on Facebook.

Commenters on the police department’s Facebook page say the shootings have gone on for days, including a woman who said her vehicle was hit Thursday of last week.

“We believe our vehicle was shot at Monday afternoon (bullet hole) in the side of vehicle,” Dustin Walston wrote.

“We heard 6 shots and we live right beside 264 at the Bailey 581 exit,” Carly Fulghum posted. “We honestly thought it was something to do with the planes flying around.”

This story was originally published January 16, 2020 at 9:27 AM with the headline "Someone is shooting at cars on major highway near I-95 in NC. Bullet holes found."