A Taylorsville man was scheduled to appear in court today (August 21) after being charged with discharging a firearm into occupied property in both Alexander and Catawba Counties.

43-year-old Michael Franklin Rockette was taken into custody on Saturday, August 12 by the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office and was charged with attempted first-degree murder, discharging a gun into occupied property, and assault by pointing a gun. WHKY previously reported on this case. He was initially placed in the Catawba County Detention Facility without bond. Rockette was granted bond and released last week.

Last Thursday (August 17), Rockette was arrested by the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office and charged with felony discharging a weapon into occupied property and injury to real property. He was placed in the Alexander County Detention Center under a secured bond of $75,000. Rockette posted the bond was released.

According to the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, Rockette is alleged to have fired multiple rounds into a residence off Rink Dam Road. No injuries were reported. The charges from Catawba County stem from a separate incident in the pre-dawn hours of August 12 at a location near Hickory. The dwelling was occupied but none of the gunfire caused injury.

Rockette was scheduled to appear in Alexander County District Court today in Taylorsville. His next Catawba County court appearance is set for August 31. A probation violation charge is also pending in Alexander County. According to the North Carolina Department of Corrections, Rockette was convicted on a DWI charge in McDowell County in 2022 and was given a 24 month suspended sentence.

[Story courtesy of Rick Gilbert, WACB]