Police in Salem, New Hampshire, are investigating a bizarre case that left a good Samaritan with a gunshot wound to his hand.
Investigators say if the victim is telling the truth, the details are chilling.
Capt. Joel Dolan of the Salem Police Department tells NBC10 Boston that it was about 7 p.m. Saturday when the victim was reportedly driving from one job site to another.
He allegedly saw a person lying in the middle of the road, so he stopped to help.
Police say the victim knew something wasn't right when he saw that the person was wearing a black ski mask and latex gloves.
The victim told police the man stood up, threatened him with a box cutter and demanded his wallet.
"The person was not satisfied with the contents of the wallet and asked if there was of anything of more value in vehicle," Dolan explained.
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The victim says once inside his vehicle, a struggle ensued. The suspect opened fire, and then took off into the woods, according to police. The driver, suffering from a gunshot wound to his index finger, managed to call 911.
"That's, like, something you'd see in the movies," said Rob Lavallee, who works in one of buildings along Northwestern Drive, where the shooting happened.
He says he's often the last one leaving at night and never gave his safety a second thought.
"For me to hear something like this, I find it extremely unusual," Lavallee said. "It's just scary."
Police say they searched the area with K9s but never found the suspect. And while they say there's no immediate threat to the public, it's a good reminder that not everything is as it seems.
"Things can change in the blink of an eye," Dolan said. "Especially if someone is setting you up for something like that."
Police say most businesses in that industrial park have been closed since the weekend, but now that the holiday is over, they're hoping to learn more from surveillance video.
