POLICE: Man hospitalized after being shot by a passenger sitting behind him

The Goldsboro Police Department says a man was taken to the hospital after being shot in the back by a passenger sitting behind him in a vehicle.

Officers say they responded to Wayne Memorial Hospital close to 8 p.m., Monday, and were able to identify the victim as Timothy Kirk of Kenly.

They say they took three subjects who had brought Kirk to the hospital to the police department to be interviewed.

During the course of the investigation, authorities say that it was determined that Preston Jones, also of Kenly, was sitting in the back passenger seat behind Kirk.

Officers say it was determined that Jones had a handgun and was "manipulating it" when the weapon discharged, striking the victim in the lower back.

Kirk was flown to Vidant in Greenville from Wayne Memorial Hospital.

Jones was booked into the Wayne County jail under a $600,000 bond.

He is being charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.