No motive known in downtown Raleigh shooting that damaged Wake County Public Safety building; Cary man charged
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The Wake County sheriff said Wednesday a motive is not yet known in the downtown Raleigh shooting that damaged the Wake County Public Safety Center.
The shooting happened around 3 p.m. Tuesday.
A witness said the shooter drove by, firing several shots toward the building. Authorities said the shooter was driving a white Dodge Durango.
Around 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, a Wake County Sheriff's Office spokesperson said a person, later identified as Willie Lee Hayes Jr., had been taken into custody in Cary.
Wednesday morning, Hayes appeared in front of a judge on charges that include attempted murder, second-degree kidnapping, discharging a firearm into an occupied property and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Raleigh police and officials with Wake County Sheriff's Office told ABC11 they believe the kidnapping victim was a woman who drove the vehicle and knew Hayes prior to the shooting.
WATCH: Shots fired into Wake County Public Safety Center
During his appearance, it was announced Hayes is being held under a secured bond of $2,050,000.
During a Wednesday news conference, Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker said a motive has not yet been identified and officials are still trying to piece everything together.
"We haven't been able to determine whether there's a motive or not," said Baker. "He's not really talking. I don't want to go too far into that but this is just an isolated thing at this point, best we can tell."
"No one who is that dangerous needs to be on the streets in any county, any state, any city at any time," said Sheriff Baker. "If you can do something like that, allegedly, I must say, anyone who can do that--to people who are--with no regard for life, doesn't need to be on the street."
Sheriff Baker praised all who responded and is grateful no one in the line of fire was hurt. No major injuries were reported.
"I can't stop thanking God enough, because I believe in Him and I ain't afraid to say it," said Baker.
Hayes is due back in court on Oct. 28.
