Shots fired at home of North Carolina congressional candidate’s parents

In a recent shooting, shots were fired at the at the Hickory, North Carolina, residence of the parents of Republican congressional candidate Pat Harrigan.

Harrigan’s mother, who was in the residence at the time along with Harrigan’s children, confirmed that no-one was injured in the shooting, however the incident did place “tremendous stress” on the family.

Marla Harrigan, 74, spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday said that both she and her husband James Harrigan were watching television when a bullet shattered their laundry room window on the night of October 18th. The family called 911 and the Hickory Police Department arrived to investigate.  The police noted in their crime report that the incident did involve a gun.

Harrigan’s children are aged 3 and 5, and Marla Harrigan said that both children sleeping in the bedroom directly above the room where the shooting took place. She went said that the bullet came from a densely populated forest and did not wake the children.

Marla said the two children have been living with their grandparents in Hickory, about 57 miles northwest of Charlotte, as their dad is on the campaign trail. The children were moved out of state following the shooting “out of an abundance of caution after the shooting.” She said that her son has asked his parents to follow suit.

“It’s just disconcerting, especially with the children there,” Marla Harrigan told the Associated Press. “This campaign is so stressful, and we feel so badly for our son because, you know, he’s terribly stressed about his children … and now they’re gone, they’re not with their parents and it’s just very, very disruptive.”

Pat Harrigan, who is a firearms manufacturer and U.S. Army Special Forces veteran, is running against Democratic state Sen. Jeff Jackson for an open U.S. House seat in North Carolina’s new 14th District based in western Charlotte.