It started as a quiet Sunday afternoon near the LGM Church on Luther Banks Road in Richlands, North Carolina. By 3:27 p.m., the calm was shattered by gunfire. Now, a community is reeling, a family is torn apart, and deputies are urgently searching for a man accused of shooting his own father.
The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office confirms the devastating outcome of that shooting. Two people were found critically injured. One, a local businessman well-known in Richlands, did not survive. The other victim remains fighting for their life in critical condition. Authorities have not officially named the victims, but the tragedy is already personal for this small community.
Law enforcement has identified the man they are looking for: Craig North. They believe he fled the scene in a black Cadillac Escalade with dealer tags. An urgent public safety notice warns residents to avoid the area of Luther Banks and Gregory Fork Roads as the manhunt continues. Deputies are scouring the region, their search active and pressing.
While officials are careful with their statements, a heartbreaking narrative is emerging from those who know the family. Multiple sources close to the situation identify the slain man as Sammy North, the beloved owner of Sammy’s Used Cars on Richlands Highway. They say the suspect, Craig North, is his son. The violence, they report, followed a heated disagreement between the two earlier in the day.
Sammy North was a fixture in the local business scene. His car lot at 8702 Richlands Highway is a familiar landmark. Neighbors and customers describe him as a friendly, established presence. The idea that his life ended in such a sudden and violent manner, allegedly at the hands of his child, has left the town in a state of shocked sorrow.
The Sheriff’s Office has not yet confirmed the familial relationship or the motive, focusing instead on the critical task of locating Craig North. He is considered armed and dangerous. The plea for the public to avoid the area remains in effect, a reminder that the situation is still unfolding and the potential for danger persists.
As the sun sets on Richlands, the questions far outnumber the answers. A family has been irrevocably shattered by tragedy. A son is wanted for murder. A community that knew Sammy North as a neighbor and businessman is left to mourn, while hoping for the recovery of the second victim and a peaceful resolution to a desperate search.
The post A Son Hunted, A Father Lost: The Search for Craig North After Richlands Shooting appeared first on Tripplenews.
