ELIZABETHTOWN — Caleb Stoker, the man who shot and killed Ricky Carroll on Oct. 29 at Tory Hole Park, made a court appearance on Friday but never had to face District Court Judge Napolean Barefoot Jr.

Stoker, 22, was in court to face a charge that he violated a protective order on the same day that it had been granted to Carroll’s teenage daughter and three of her friends by Judge Marion Warren on Nov. 19.

As Stoker remained in his seat near the back of the courtroom on Friday, attorney Jeff Hollers of Fayetteville, who represents Stoker, requested that a continuance be granted so that “we may come before Judge Warren, who issued the original protective order.”

Assistant District Attorney Kristen Kelly told Barefoot that the state had no objections to the continuance, but did ask that an additional stipulation be made to Stoker’s bond.

“It has come to our attention that Mr. Stoker lives where there are a number of guns,” Kelly said. “We ask that his bond include that he not reside where guns are available.”

Barefoot agreed.

“Under the circumstances, the court agrees with that request,” Barefoot said. “All other stipulations of the order remain in effect.”

Once that request was approved, Barefoot set Thursday, Jan. 14, as Stoker’s next court appearance.

According to reports, Carroll, 41, met Stoker at Tory Hole Park at about 9 p.m. on Oct. 29 and reportedly beat Stoker with a four-foot peice of metal pipe. At some point, Stoker managed to retrieve a 9mm handgun and fired seven shots — five of which struck Carroll. An autopsy report from the state medical examiner stated that three of the shots, individually, were fatal.

District Attorney Rex Gore said last week that his office was still waiting on a final report from the State Bureau of Investigation Lab in Raleigh, as well as “a few other things.”

Stoker, who is employed by the Bladen County EMS, has reportedly been placed on paid administrative leave by the county pending the outcome of the investigation into the Oct. 29 shooting.

— Editor W. Curt Vincent and Staff Writer Jenny Hayes-Carroll contributed to this story.