Sheriff: Man Fatally Shoots Wife He Thought Was a Burglar

Sheriff: Man Fatally Shoots Wife He Thought Was a Burglar
Stock photo of police tape. (Carl Ballou/Shutterstock)
The Associated Press
1/20/2017
Updated:
1/20/2017

North Carolina authorities say a man fatally shot his wife after he mistook her for a burglar.

News outlets cite the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office as saying that 48-year-old Gina Williams had been working an evening shift at a hospital and wasn’t expected home until Friday morning. They said when Williams arrived home early and tried to get into the house, it startled her daughter and prompted her husband, Billy Williams, to grab his gun.

Police say Billy Williams opened the front door, saw a figure in the dark and fired a shot, hitting Gina Williams in the neck. She died at the scene.

No charges have been filed against Billy Williams as the investigation continues.