State Senator shoots one of the men who broke into his house

The Democratic State Senator, the longest serving senator in the North Carolina state senate, apparently defended himself with a gun.

WILMINGTON -- State Sen. R.C. Soles, North Carolina's longest-serving senator, shot one of two intruders who broke into his Tabor City home Sunday night, according to the Columbus County Sheriff's Office.

Police identified 22-year-old Kyle Blackburn as the man Soles shot. He is now in a South Carolina hospital listed in fair condition. Blackburn and the other suspect, B.J. Wright, were one-time law clients of Soles.

Blackburn has previously been arrested for attempted breaking and entering and first-degree trespassing at Soles' home, according to the Tabor City Police Chief Donald Dowless.

"Approximately about a year ago, Kyle Blackburn was seen trying to break into the senator's residence," said Dowless. "He was arrested and taken to jail at that time." . . .