4 Passers-By Killed, 6 Hurt in Shooting Spree

A moped shop operator whose family earlier had been advised about how to have him committed was charged today with first-degree murder after a 12-minute shooting spree that left four people dead and six injured in a two-block area.

The gunman, who was shot and wounded by police, was hospitalized today in critical condition, authorities said.

Forsyth County Sheriff Preston Oldham said Michael Charles Hayes, 24, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the Sunday night shootings.

The day before, Oldham said, deputies had been called to a disturbance at the moped shop operated by Hayes and advised his family on how to seek his involuntary commitment to a psychiatric facility.

Oldham gave no details of the disturbance, but said Hayes’ family took no action to have him committed. He said police had not determined a motive for the shootings.

“The guy was shooting at cars that went by,” said O. J. Watkins, who lives across the street from the moped shop.

He said he heard shots fired, looked out a window of his house and saw Hayes carrying a rifle. Watkins said he saw Hayes run in and out of the shop several times.

Oldham said it appeared that Hayes roamed a two-block area near the shop, shooting people as they drove by in cars. Five cars were struck by gunfire, but two motorists managed to drive out of the neighborhood after they were wounded. All the victims were shot with a small-caliber weapon, Oldham said.

The sheriff said two police cars were hit by bullets as they pulled up at the shop, but no deputies were wounded.

An intersection near the shop was littered with glass shards this morning. An officer said the gunman apparently shot randomly at whatever cars came by.