On Saturday night May 28, 2016 at 10:36pm Salisbury Police Officers responded to a shots fired call in the area of E. Fisher and S. Shaver St. When officers arrived, they came in contact with a shooting victim identified as Christopher Shepherd, age 44 of Salisbury. EMS was called and transported Shepherd to Novant Health Rowan Regional Medical Center. He was then transferred to Wake Forest Baptist Hospital for further treatment. He has since been released.

The shooting had occurred at 205 S. Clay St where the victim was attending a family gathering. The victim was standing outside of the residence with others when the suspect came from behind the apartment and shot him. Shepherd was shot two times in the upper legs.
A detailed description was given of the shooter, a possible second suspect and the vehicle they had driven off in.

Around 1:00am Sunday morning, an officer driving by observed the suspect pumping fuel into the suspect vehicle at 1831 W. Innes St. The suspect was taken into custody without incident. Seized from the suspect was 8 grams of powder cocaine, 8 grams of crack cocaine, 7 grams of marijuana and $685.00 in US currency. Seized from the vehicle was a 9mm loaded handgun and drug paraphernalia.

The suspect was identified as Joshua Alexander Hovis, age 29 of Salisbury. He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury with intent to kill, felony possession of schedule II (cocaine), felony possession of schedule II with intent to sell and deliver, possession of a firearm by a felon, misdemeanor possession of schedule IV (marijuana), misdemeanor of drug paraphernalia and carrying a concealed weapon. He was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $200,000.00 bond.