A camouflaged man seemingly fired an unloaded gun at a North Carolina couple while intruding on their back porch, surveillance video showed.
A McDowell County couple shared surveillance footage with local news outlets and authorities after a man identified as Tyler Messer stood on their back porch wielding a rifle.
Aiming down the sights, Messer looked back and forth at the couple who was in their house at the time.
“As I’m folding one towel, I have my phone lying in front of me and I see an alert that there’s some motion on the back,” Preston McHone told WLOS. “So, I just turn around and yell, ‘Billy, there’s somebody at our back door with a gun,’” he added.
It was about 11 p.m. when Messer, still on the porch, pulled the action on his rifle. Audio of the gun failing to fire any projectiles can be heard on video, indicating that it was likely an empty chamber. However, it is still unclear and has been described as a misfire by local news outlets.
After the alleged misfire, Messer took a moment to inspect his rifle before fleeing from the property.
It also remained unclear whether or not the intent of the suspect was to kill the home owners at all, as law enforcement notes have described Messer as “mentally ill.”
“Defendant is mentally ill. Defendant stated to family that he was going to rid the world of sin,” the notes from the McDowell County Magistrate Bail Explanation Form read.
“As he pulls the trigger, he turns and, in that short turn, he’s realizing it didn’t go off because he’s supposed to, at that point, have shot [my partner] and would be turning towards me,” McHone continued. “He didn’t follow through because he missed one step, and that was loading his weapon.”
The couple reportedly hid inside their home for several minutes until police arrived. They would soon learn that it wasn’t the first time Messer had been to their home. Messer had reportedly visited their house three times within the past year, allegedly looking for his father.
The couple did not know who the man’s father is.
The McDowell County Sheriff’s Office reported that the suspect was charged with assault by pointing a gun, first-degree trespassing, and stalking. The charges came with a set bail of $200,000.
Two days later, 29-year-old Messer had his charges upgraded to include attempted murder.
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Author: Andrew Chapados
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