Nathan Rupert Pant, a 37-year-old male from Lexington, was shot and killed on September 2, 2015, following an incident at a home located at 1011 Rachel Lane in Salisbury, NC. The Salisbury Police responded to a disturbance call at the residence around 6:05 p.m., where they found Pant deceased and two other individuals injured. The homeowner, Tonya Veann Wilks, a 41-year-old female, was shot in the leg and taken to Novant Health Rowan Medical Center.
Another victim, Desmine Marnic Kirkland, a 28-year-old male from China Grove, was also shot and transported to the hospital by a private vehicle. Both Wilks and Kirkland were later released from the hospital.
The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, and the police have not identified any suspects. A witness reported hearing rumbling from inside the home followed by gunshots. Kirkland, who has a criminal history including a conviction for accessory after the fact of murder in 2010, was on parole at the time of the incident. Pant had been convicted of two misdemeanor drug offenses. Despite the police having visited the Rachel Lane address four times earlier in the year, none of those visits appeared to be related to the shooting.
Investigators and a medical examiner's report later confirmed that Pant was shot in self-defense, and no charges were filed in connection with his death. The investigation into the incident continued, but no further arrests or litigations were reported. The relationship between Pant, Wilks, and Kirkland remains unknown.
