Kinston man injured in attempted robbery

A Kinston man was struck in his head Friday morning in an attempted robbery in the 100 block of East Shine Street.

At 11:57 a.m., members of the Kinston Department of Public Safety Law Enforcement Division responded to a reported shooting at East Shine Street. Officers found Jesse Keith Wiggins, 49, of Kinston bleeding from his head.

According to officers, three armed suspects had previously approached Wiggins demanding that he give them all his money. Wiggins tried to get away from the suspects but tripped and fell.

A suspect then approached Wiggins and hit him in the head with the butt of his long gun, according to officers. None of the suspects could be identified because they were wearing dark clothing, black toboggans and black bandanas over their faces.

According to witnesses at the scene, two of the suspects had handguns while a third suspect carried a long gun. After attacking Wiggins, the three male suspects fled the scene traveling east.

Det. Sgt. Craig Jarman said Wiggins was taken to Lenoir Memorial Hospital for treatment of a moderate head wound caused in the attack.

"He had a small laceration on his head and there was a lot of swelling," Jarman said.

Jarman said a bystander at the scene attempted to follow the three suspects but turned back after realizing the suspects were armed with guns.

"He made a good decision to turn back," Jarman said of the person who tried to follow the suspects.

No guns shots were fired in the attempted robbery. The case is still under investigation.