2nd man arrested, third sought in shooting

Authorities have made another arrest in a Monday shooting and are asking for the public’s help in locating a third suspect.

Investigators are looking for Michael Darryl Burt Jr., 34, who also goes by the street name “Miami.” He is 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs 170 pounds.

Burt, investigators say, is the third member of a trio that shot into an occupied home following a foiled robbery attempt. The other two — Leroy Burford, 21, of Hubert Boulevard, and Devondre Eric Cuffee, 18, of Huffmantown Road in Richlands — were arrested earlier in the week.

Cuffee was arrested Wednesday and Burford was arrested Thursday. Both were charged by the Onslow County Sheriff’s Department with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, robbery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a deadly weapon, assault causing serious bodily injury, discharging a weapon into an occupied property and conspiracy.

Burford’s bond was set at $80,000. Cuffee’s bond was set at $300,000.

Investigators say the trio attempted to rob Doyle Phillipson at his home in the 700 block of Francktown Road late Monday afternoon. While the intruders rummaged through his house, Phillipson wrestled an assault rifle away from one of them, getting cut in the head and nicked in the leg in the process, authorities said.

Phillipson then ran to a neighbor' house for help and the suspects chased him, firing into a house with two children inside. The house was hit six times with a ricocheted bullet fragment hitting a woman inside in the ear, Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said.

Phillipson told The Daily News on Thursday that he was not a drug dealer and that the Sheriff’s Department was incorrect in labeling him as such. However, Brown said Phillipson faces possible drug-related and other charges in the incident.

Brown said Sheriff’s Sgt. Mark Scott’s investigation continues and he asks the public to call with information.

Crime Stoppers of Onslow County is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest or apprehension in the crime.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the Onslow County Sheriff’s Department at 910-455-3113 or Crime Stoppers at 910-938-3273. Callers do not have to reveal their identities.

Contact Lindell Kay at 910-219-8456. Read his blog at http://onslowcrime.encblogs.com.