Gunfire during Christmas parade leaves man in critical condition, NC police say
.jpg "The shooting happened during Laurinburg’s annual Christmas parade, which is organized by the Laurinburg/Scotland County Area Chamber of Commerce.")
A 19-year-old has been charged in connection with a shooting that played out during his town’s Christmas parade, North Carolina, police say.
It happened around 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, in a parking lot on South Main Street in Laurinburg, and the shooter fled the scene, Laurinburg police say.
The victim, 20-year-old Quadarion Williams, was found outside of Burger King along the parade route, police said in a news release. Williams was taken to Scotland Memorial Hospital “in stable but critical condition,” police said.
Marchriste Nazzir Robinson, 19, of Laurinburg, was later identified as a suspect and arrested, police said in a Dec. 8 case update.
A motive has not been released and investigators have not said if the two men knew each other. The victim lives in Hope Mills, a 35-mile drive northeast from Laurinburg.
The incident has rattled the community, with commenters on social media expressing frustration and fear.
“I guess it’s either stay at home now or wear enough body armor look like the Michelin man,” Harry H. Hollis posted on the police department’s Facebook page.
“I’m so tired of innocent people getting hurt because of people who lack ability to manage their anger. Broken people don’t just hurt themselves — they put everyone else in danger,” Amber ONeal Davies wrote.
“Anyone could have gotten hit by a bullet by accident just trying to enjoy the parade,” Kathy Usher said.
Robinson is being held without bond and has been charged with:
- Assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury
- Discharging a firearm within an enclosure
- Discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle
- Discharging a fireman in the city
- Going armed to the terror of the public
- Injury to real property
Laurinburg is about a 93-mile drive southeast from uptown Charlotte.