Statesville homeowner holds suspect at gunpoint after break-in, deputies say

STATESVILLE, N.C. — Deputies said an Iredell County homeowner held a suspect at gunpoint after he found him stealing from his home Monday afternoon.

The incident happened just before 5 p.m. along Turnersburg Highway in Statesville.

When Iredell County sheriff's deputies got to the home, they said they found the homeowner holding the suspect, 26-year-old Brandon Knight, at gunpoint.

Deputies said the homeowner has a concealed carry permit.

The homeowner told deputies that when he came home, he saw his back door had been pried open and found Knight in a bedroom, stealing jewelry.

One neighbor said she spotted a car parked across the street.

“Just saying, FYI, you come back here and we’re all packing, seriously,” neighbor Katrina Finney said. “Our neighbors are all looking out for each other on this road. This is crazy.”

While deputies investigated, they said they found stolen jewelry and other items in Knight's possession.

Officials said some of the items Knight had linked him to a second breaking and entering scene from Monday night.

"It is lucky for this suspect, this investigation did not end in a drastically different way," Sheriff Darren Campbell said.

Knight was charged with two counts of felony breaking and entering and two counts of felony larceny after breaking and entering.

(Brandon Knight)

Deputies said later Monday night, a third breaking and entering was reported and additional charges against Knight are expected.

He is being held at the Iredell County Detention Center under a $30,000 secured bond.

Knight has a criminal history including felony breaking and entering, possession of a schedule II controlled substance, misdemeanor breaking and entering and soliciting for false pretense.

He was on supervised probation in New Hanover County for felony breaking and entering.

Cox Media Group