Two kids were playing with a rabbit on a balcony in east Charlotte. Both were shot.
Gunfire seriously wounded one boy and grazed another Monday at an east Charlotte apartment community off North Sharon Amity Road, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police.
Police said Tuesday afternoon that the two children were playing with a pet rabbit on the balcony of an apartment complex.
“The preliminary information indicates the children were not the intended targets, but were rather struck by projectiles from a series of nearby gunfire,” police said Tuesday afternoon.
Investigators say one bullet struck an 11-year-old boy, while another grazed a 5-year-old boy. The names of the two victims have not been released.
Jatarius Jones, 20, has been arrested in connection with the shootings, CMPD said. He is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury in connection with wounding the two boys, a release said.
The shootings happened about 5:47 p.m. Monday, in the 3200 block of Amity Pointe Road, which is in the Sharon Pointe Apartments.
“Upon arrival, officers located an 11-year-old juvenile male that had been struck by gunfire. That victim was transported by Medic with life-threatening injuries,” police said.
“A short time later, officers learned that an additional victim, a five-year-old male, had also been grazed by a bullet. That subject was also transported by Medic, but with non-life-threatening injuries,” police said in a release..
Investigators have not said what led to the shooting, and no suspects have been named.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or CharlotteCrimeStoppers.com.
This story was originally published September 22, 2020 at 6:23 AM.
