Lance Martin Herald Senior Staff Writer

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Aaron Mason was trying to enjoy his birthday Saturday evening in the Garysburg housing projects when trouble started brewing.

From Mason's point of view, and possibly the view of Northampton County Sheriff's Office investigators, his birthday party was ruined by the trouble that occurred at Mudcastle Family Life Center.

In a telephone interview from his bed at Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville, Mason, 26, of Halifax, said he was enjoying his party when a whole lot of people came rushing out of the nearby Mudcastle center. “I don't know what happened. A whole lot of people were being run out from Mudcastle by the police.”

Mason went to check on his children and when he came outside, he was shot in the back twice. “I was standing outside and everybody kept running to Mudcastle saying it was a fight. I decided to leave. As the police ran everyone (from) over there (Mudcastle), there were a lot of people running up behind me. By the time I opened the door, I was shot twice. The doctor asked me why I was shot. I said I didn't know, there were a lot of people coming behind me.”

Mason's mother, Marion, said her son was an innocent victim. The shooting tore a hole in his stomach the size of an egg, she said.

Northampton County Sheriff Wardie Vincent said unless investigators get information to the contrary, it appears Mason's story is correct.

The alleged shooter, Richard Squire Jr., 18, of Garysburg, was charged with assault inflicting serious injury and was released from jail on a $20,000 bond.

Vincent said it is possible Squire was either at the housing project or possibly could have been at a dance for 14- to 18 year-olds at Mudcastle at some point during the evening.

The organizer of the dance, Erik Williams, said earlier this week the problems at Mudcastle, which began when fights broke out, were not related to the shooting.

Vincent said officers used Mace to disperse the crowd at the dance because the teens kept circling in while the fights were occurring. He said there were two or three fights going on and officers were trying to keep it in check and use the means most reasonable to control it. Vincent said charges will most likely be filed in the fights.

Meanwhile, Mason said he is slowly recovering from his wounds. “It hit me in my stomach and the right part of my shoulder. I'm hurting so much.”

Mason said it will be a while before he gets out of the hospital. “They said it's all upon me.”