Drive-By Shooting Under Investigation

On 07/25/2009 at 8:24PM, deputies with the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office responded to 2681 Tablerock Road in reference to a drive-by shooting. Deputies quickly learned that the victim, 23-year-old Joshua Leroy Felder, had been transported to the Caldwell Memorial Hospital by friends. Deputies secured the scene and detectives were called in to investigate the incident.

Several witnesses were interviewed at the scene and at the hospital. Detectives learned that a vehicle, which was occupied near the scene, was also shot several times during the incident. No injuries were sustained from those inside the vehicle. One of the occupants was a 3-year-old child. Officers from the Lenoir Police Department assisted in securing evidence at the hospital until detectives from the Sheriff's Office could respond.

The initial investigation has revealed that the shooter in this incident is Seth Randall Dula, 22 years old, from 105 Park Place Ave in Morganton. Warrants have been issued for Dula for Assault with a Deadly Weapon Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury and Discharging a Weapon into an Occupied Dwelling or Moving Vehicle. Dula was last seen in a 2007 silver Corolla, unknown registration. No motive has been established at this time. The investigation is still active.

At the time of this press release, the victim was undergoing emergency surgery at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.

Seth Dula should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is encouraged to call the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office at 828-758-2324 or the Caldwell County Crimestoppers at 828-758-8300.

Jeff Stafford
Caldwell County Sheriff's Office

This site was last updated 09/04/09