The men who shot the son of a Carthage commissioner may be in custody, though no one has yet actually been charged for it.

On Thursday, Moore County Sheriff’s investigators, along with Greensboro and Carthage police officers, arrested Timothy Jaquan Hooks, 18, and charged him with robberies, burglaries and other felonies.

Hooks, of 1401 Ogden Street, Greensboro, is in jail under a bond currently facing one count of felony robbery with a dangerous weapon, one count of felony first degree burglary, one count of felony second degree burglary, one count of felony larceny, one count of felony possession of stolen goods, and one count of felony possession of stolen firearm, according to Lt. Bill Mackey of the sheriff’s criminal investigation division.

Hooks, with his dreadlocks, resembles the description of one of two armed men who shot and wounded 29-year-old Jason Dowdy at his home in the Needmore section of Carthage. Dowdy was taken to the emergency room at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital, where he was treated for three gunshot wounds.

“I believe two of the shots were to his ankle and lower leg,” said his father, Milton T. Dowdy, who serves on the town board. "I was in Aberdeen on business when I got the call.”

Police started looking for two black men in a silver or light-colored Kia four-door sedan they believed had been involved in the shooting. Those suspects were initially described as short, with one having dreadlocks and wearing a white ball cap, and the other as wearing a yellow coat. Both men were considered armed and dangerous.

“They took two TV sets," Dowdy said. "They shot my son. One bullet came within an inch of his spinal cord, an inch away from paralyzing him for life.”

Doctors thought it safer to leave that bullet where it was, more dangerous to try removing it, according to the commissioner.

Hooks’ arrest resulted from a burglary report and the investigation that followed, according to Sheriff Lane Carter. Last August, Judameyre L. McRae, who lives in the Southern Pines area of the county, reported a burglary to his home. He told deputies several black males entered his residence and stole numerous items including $850 in cash. Shortly after that burglary, those suspects wrecked their vehicle attempting to elude law enforcement.

Sheriff’s investigators in Moore County subsequently developed suspects in Greensboro. They contacted the Greensboro Police Department Gang Unit, who joined the investigation. This led to the Sept. 2, 2009, arrest of Rickie Edward Whack, a 22, from 1308 Bothwell Street in Greensboro.

They charged Whack with one count felony breaking and entering, one count felony larceny, one count felony possession of stolen goods and one count felony possession of stolen firearm. He was released on a $2,500 unsecured bond. His case is currently pending in Moore County District Court.

On Jan. 24, the sheriff’s office received a burglary and armed robbery report from Linda Bowden Spencer in Eagle Springs. She said two black males armed with a pistol came into her home and stole several items, including a large amount of cash. Several witnesses who saw them gave descriptions leading investigators to connect her case to the open investigation from August.

The Carthage Police Department was added to the agencies in the investigation after contacting Carter’s office with “similar descriptions of two black males that had robbed a Carthage resident” Mackey said. “The victim in their case was shot during the robbery at his residence back on November 30, 2009.”

While Mackey did not specifically identify Dowdy as being that victim, the robbery and shooting of Dowdy was only such crime reported in Carthage on that date.

Hooks has not been charged with robbing and shooting Dowdy. Charges filed against Hooks come from the Aug. 2, 2009, and Jan. 24 incidents. Hooks is jailed in the Moore County Detention Center under a $100,000 secured bond. His first court appearance is set for Feb. 18.

According to Mackey, investigators from Carter’s office expect to make more arrests in relation to this ongoing investigation.