When tensions escalate into physical altercations between people in North Carolina, the repercussions may be serious and long-lasting. This is particularly true in cases involving alleged attacks that involve the use of weapons and result in serious bodily injuries to victims. Considered a serious offense, an aggravated assault arrest or conviction may have significant consequences.
According to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, aggravated assault is defined as an unlawful attack on another person with the intent of causing severe bodily injury. These offenses involve the use of a weapon or other such means meant to inflict serious harm or death, or parts of the alleged attacker’s body.
Attempted attacks using weapons such as guns or knives are also considered aggravated assaults. This is because if the alleged assault succeeded, the use of such weapons could, and likely would, have resulted in serious personal injuries for victims. Assaults using parts of the attacker’s body, such as hands or legs and feet, as personal weapons may also be classified as aggravated assault. This is only the case, however, in incidents that result in serious personal harm to victims.
According to FindLaw, assault involving a deadly weapon is a felony offense. Assaults with deadly weapons with the intention of causing deaths or assaults with deadly weapons that result in serious injuries are Class E felonies. If convicted of this offense, people face between 15 and 31 months in prison. Such attacks are charged as Class C felonies when they are meant to kill and cause serious harm and are punishable by between 44 and 98 months in prison.