3 arrested in pepper spray and knife attack in Burke County

Three people have been arrested following a pepper spray and knife attack in the parking lot of a discount store in Burke County last week.

Christopher Allen Coffey, Allen Davis Coffey, and Alice Marie Coffey are all charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. They were arrested at their home and each were being held in the Burke County jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

The alleged attack happened around 10 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot of the Dollar General on Hartland Road in Morganton.

Two men were leaving the Dollar General when a blue car sped in the parking lot and three people got out, according to the Burke Sheriff’s Office, who interviewed one of the victims.

The victim told investigators that “two men pepper sprayed him and his friend and physically attacked him. ... Once his friend was able to recover from the effects of being sprayed he attempted to pull one of the attackers off of him. It was at this point in the assault that a female came from behind and stabbed him in his back.”

The knife punctured the man’s lung. He was taken to Carolinas Healthcare System Blue Ridge and later flown to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.

Police have not said what they believe provoked the alleged attack. They also have not released an update on the man who was flown to Charlotte for treatment. The other man had nonlife-threatening injuries.

This story was originally published September 2, 2015 at 8:17 PM with the headline "3 arrested in pepper spray and knife attack in Burke County."