Man who shot Fayetteville pawn shop owner sentenced to 45 years in prison

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Fayetteville man was sentenced Wednesday to 45 years in prison for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon.

According to North Carolina Eastern District Attorney Michael Easley, 28-year-old Mario Whitted was convicted by a federal jury in April and deemed an "armed career criminal."

Whitted has three prior state convictions for common law robbery.

"Today's sentence puts a career criminal behind bars and sends a stronger message to the Fayetteville community. Our prosecutors are working shoulder-to-shoulder with law enforcement relentlessly pursuing those responsible for gun violence in our neighborhoods," said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley in a release.

According to court records, Whitted shot the owner of a Fayetteville pawn shop while he was closing his shop in November of 2019. The owner, who survived the attack, was shot twice in the leg and fired back at Whitted with his own gun.

Whitted then ran away and flagged down a driver who offered to take him to the hospital but instead took him home at his request. He was later caught in South Carolina after having a bullet removed from his foot that was matched to the victim's gun.