Rocky Mount police arrest 1, seek shooter in DoubleTree incident

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (WTVD) -- Rocky Mount police investigating a hotel shooting that left a 17-year-old boy critically injured said Monday night that they have a person in custody but not the suspect responsible for striking the teen.

Police said "multiple individuals" fired shots about 6 a.m. on Saturday at the DoubleTree Hotel at 651 N. Winstead Ave.

Officers found the teen in the parking lot suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to UNC Nash Health Hospital and later transferred to ECU Health Hospital in Greenville. He is in critical condition, police said.

Police recovered a weapon at the scene.

Rocky Mount PD said Monday that two vehicles also sustained damage from gunfire and a round entered the Cracker Barrel restaurant across U.S. 64 from the DoubleTree. Cracker Barrel was not open at the time.

Police identified Achontay Cotton, 19, of Enfield, as one of the shooting suspects and took him into custody with the help of Halifax County deputies.

Cotton and the victim knew each other and police said Cotton was not the one who shot the teen. He was charged with discharging a firearm in the city limits and three counts of damage to property.

He received a $10,000 secured bond and was taken to the Nash County Jail.

Rocky Mount police continue to investigate and seek the shooter. Anyone with information and or video related to the incident is asked to please contact the Rocky Mount Police Department at (252) 972-1411, Twin County Crime Stoppers at (252) 977-1111, or Text-A-Tip (Text RMPOL) and your message to CRIMES (274637), or message directly using the MyRMT mobile app.