Further review of a case in which a firearm was discharged in the vicinity of a law enforcement officer’s home Friday evening shows there was no intent to harm the officer, a statement by the Roanoke Rapids Police Department says.

Because of this review, the man who was charged in the case, Malik Arrington, now faces a charge of misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon, police Chief Bobby Martin said in a press release sent late Saturday night.

Arrington has a November 10 district court date on the misdemeanor charge, according to the state court calendar.

“Through a joint investigation by the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office and the Roanoke Rapids Police Department  in regards to shots fired in the vicinity of a Roanoke Rapids Police officer’s home it has been determined this was a misuse of a firearm and law enforcement was not directly targeted,” Martin said. “The suspect in this case was charged with misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon due to firing it in the close proximity of the officer’s home. These incidents are reviewed closely to ensure the proper charges are obtained and the suspects charged accordingly.”

Martin said it was determined “the shots were fired in close proximity to the officer’s home and not directly at it. The discharging of a firearm in a careless manner is never a good idea, and once a bullet leaves the weapon it does not have a name on it.”

The sheriff’s office and police department said Saturday they were investigating to determine whether the officer was targeted or if the case involved the misuse of a firearm.

Saturday afternoon Captain Jamie Hardy said there was no damage to the officer’s property.

The events that led to the investigation began Friday when Officer C. Roberts of the Roanoke Rapids Police Department was at his residence when he noticed a Camaro driving slowly. The officer then noticed the driver put his arm out of the window and fired multiple shots in the direction of his home.

Roberts called 911 and a sheriff’s office deputy responded since the matter was not within the city limits of Roanoke Rapids.

Chief Deputy Scott Hall of the sheriff’s office said deputies responded to the area around 5:30 p.m. on a report of shots being fired. 

A search of the area was made but officers were unable to locate the vehicle, whose description was provided to other agencies.

Hall said around 1 a.m. Saturday Roanoke Rapids police saw a vehicle matching the description and stopped it in the Highway 158 area.

Hardy said Sergeant J. Horne stopped the vehicle and along with Detective C. Batchelor interviewed the man, who was identified as Arrington.