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Roanoke Valley law enforcement reported the following:

Sexual assault

On Monday the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division was notified of a sexual assault on a juvenile, according to Major Anzell M. Harris.

During the investigation, more than one juvenile was interviewed forensically. 

Due to the interviews, warrants were obtained for Karl Edward Dalstad, 56, of Wake Forest and  Littleton. Littleton is where a lake house included in a distribution of property notice on Berkshire Drive is listed in his name, according to Wake County civil court records.

He also has a pending court date for assault on a female for a January 19 charge lodged by the Rolesville Police Department. Warrants do not go into detail of that charge.

The assault that reportedly occurred in Halifax County was over the Labor Day weekend while the juveniles were spending time with a friend at Lake Gaston. 

Harris said during the investigation multiple search warrants were executed with the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Wake Forest Police Department. Multiple items have been seized as a result of the search warrants. There are more search warrants being executed with further investigation being conducted.

On Tuesday during the execution of one of the search warrants Dalstad was taken into custody.

He was served with the two-count sex offense warrant in Wake County and was confined to the detention center there without the opportunity for bond.

He is scheduled to appear in Halifax County District Court Thursday.

Shots fired

On Monday and Wednesday of last week and then on Saturday, Roanoke Rapids police Chief Shane Guyant said officers responded to several calls of shots fired in the areas of Willow, Thomas, and Oak streets.

In those three days dozens of shots were fired, some causing property damage but no injuries.   

There has been an increase in law enforcement presence. “We have begun aggressive patrols and recognize that the problems stem from two locations. One of those locations has been eliminated from concern.”

Over the weekend, Guyant said, one landlord quickly acted and ensured that a resident was removed from the neighborhood. “However, there is still one more location on Willow Street that we are going to observe,” he said. “We will ensure that any criminal actions coming from this location are dealt with swiftly, appropriately, and with accuracy. The landlord of this remaining property has been contacted and evictions are forthcoming. We are confident that once this last remaining residence is emptied all of the incidents will stop.”  

Because of these calls, the police department is using what the chief described as proactive patrol tactics. “We have officers working to permanently stop these acts from happening.  Although similar shots fired calls are occurring throughout the city, this particular area is of grave concern due to the frequency and blatancy of the violators. We will act swiftly to bring peace back to this neighborhood.” 

Said the chief: “We recognize the dangers that shots being fired have on not just property, but to life as well.  We are saddened and angered by these events and how they have led residents in this area to live in fear.”

If anyone experiences something that appears dangerous, call 911 immediately or call Crimestoppers anonymously at 252-583-4444 or through its website