Wilmington man found guilty of attempted murder in 2021 shooting

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - A Wilmington man was sentenced to up to 27½ years in prison Friday after being convicted by a jury.

After a four-day trial, 27-year-old Jabar Ballard was found guilty of Attempted Murder, Discharging a Weapon into an Occupied Building, Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon for crimes at a busy strip mall on Nov. 30, 2021.

“The State’s evidence convinced jurors that Ballard fired 11 shots at another man in the parking lot outside of the City Tobacco and Vape shop, located at 3111 Market Street, shortly after 7 p.m.,” the District Attorney’s Office stated in a news release. “After those shots failed to bring the victim down, Ballard chased him into an adjacent parking lot where a church congregation was beginning to arrive for their Sunday night service.

“Members of Vino Nuevo Ministry heard the gunfire and brought the victim inside of the building. Dozens of men, women and children were inside the church at the time. Ballard forced the door to the church open and fired another round at the victim before fleeing the scene in his vehicle.”

The victim, who was struck once in the chest, did not suffer any life-threatening injuries.

Witnesses testified that Ballard and the victim argued inside and outside of a store in the same complex. Shortly afterward, Ballard opened fire.

Jurors were shown footage from surveillance cameras that captured much of the incident.

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