North Carolina Woman Plays Dead, Survives Shooting; Says She Knows Her Attacker

KEY POINTS

Epps, 69, survived a shooting by playing dead
3 other victims were fatally shot,
The suspect, Johnson, 36, was a family friend

A North Carolina woman was wounded in a shooting on Sunday but survived where three other died because she played dead.

According to Fox News, Hazel Epps, 69, was shot in the torso but was able to call 911 to report the incident while the gunman was inside the house.

"Somebody came in my house and shot everybody here including me," she told the 911 dispatcher, WNCN-TV reported. "But I believe everybody is dead except me."

She also claimed that she knew who shot her and was heard praying and asking for help.

The crime happened around 1:30 AM in Clarkton and the suspect was 36-year-old Taurean Johnson whom Epp's niece, Tina Gainey, said was a friend of the family WWAY-TV reported.

He turned himself in to the authorities on Sunday night and was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

Those who were fatally shot were Catrice Lacole Murchison, 30, Ronnie Lebert Kelly, 27, and Guy Lennon Barden Jr., 60.

Deputies are still not sure what triggered him to commit the crime.