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KELFORD – For the second time in a one-week span, gunfire at a Roanoke-Chowan area nightclub has claimed a life.

The Bertie County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information from the public to help locate the individual responsible for shooting Joseph Cary, 32, of Lewiston. He was shot and killed early Sunday morning (Nov. 14) in the parking lot of the 308 Spotlight Lounge, located on Governor’s Road (NC 308) between Kelford and Lewiston Woodville.

Bertie Sheriff’s Major Matt Roebuck said upon the arrival of deputies at the scene, a male – later identified as Cary – was found outside the nightclub suffering from gunshot wounds.

“The deputies immediately started administering CPR on the victim,” Roebuck stated. “[Bertie] EMS arrived and the male was declared deceased.”

Roebuck added that the call came into Bertie County Communications at approximately 1 a.m. Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Tyrone Ruffin, Corp. Harris Williams, Deputy Michael Lawrence, Deputy Keith Padgette and Deputy Alex Teal responded to the scene.

The Major reported there were upwards to 150 people at the nightclub at the time of the shooting, but yet there is no information about a suspect at this time.

“There were a large number of patrons at the Spotlight Lounge at the time of the shooting,” Roebuck stated. “We’re asking for their help. If you were at the Spotlight Lounge at that time, we need you to contact us and share any information you have that will assist us in solving this case.”

The Bertie Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina SBI are investigating the incident as a homicide. Anyone with information is asked to call the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office at 252-794-5330. Detective Brandon Turner is the case agent for the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office.

One week earlier (Nov. 6), 22-year-old Jairen Lyles of Aulander was gunned down and five others suffered gunshot wounds during an incident at the Alaysia Bar & Grill, located at the Ahoskie Inn.