WADESBORO — A 12-year child died from gunshot wounds in the early morning hours of Wednesday, July 8. The child is believed by authorities to be the unintended victim of a drive-by shooting.
On Tuesday evening around 11:50 p.m., officers from the Wadesboro Police Department responded to a report of shots fired on West Carolina Avenue. Upon arriving on the scene, the officers discovered that two homes had been struck by gunfire. Minutes later, the officers found the child inside one of the homes that had been shot. The child was pronounced deceased at the hospital. The other residents of the home, three other children and three adults were not harmed during the incident.
“We mourn today with the family, friends, and the community at the loss of life that occurred last night,” said Wadesboro Town Manager David Edwards in a press release following the shooting. “Our prayers truly go out to them as we seek consolation for the family and justice for those responsible. As this nation reels from turmoil facing it on multiple fronts, our community must come together to address the issues with respect for each other and a determination to end this senseless violence on all sides.”
Wadesboro citizens took the streets to honor the child, who was known locally as Little Mike, during a prayer walk held Friday, July 10. Attendants met at the Old Hospital Parking Lot located at 500 Morven Road in Wadesboro.
The event was organized by The Garden House, a nonprofit organization founded by Mianna Deberry, Karisma Lisenby and Pastor Steve Adams of Harvest Ministries.
“We kind of reached out to each other,” said Adams. “It was a joint effort.”
“We wanted to come together for a time of prayer,” explained Adams. “To show the community that young people losing their lives to senseless violence is not going to be our normal. Our goal was to saturate the area in prayer. Local pastors from all over the county prayed at each corner we passed during the march.”
Friends of “Little Mike” also gathered the following day in the Walmart parking lot for a balloon release in memory of their fallen friend and classmate.
The shooting is still an ongoing investigation and police are still investigating the details of the incident. The Wadesboro Police Department is asking for help and cooperation from anyone who may know details of the crime.
“It is extremely important to the investigative process that we are given honest and detailed information in order to track down those responsible and bring them to justice,” said Edwards. “We are a strong and resilient community that has proven for generations that we are able to come together in difficult times, and that time has come again.”
Those with information concerning the case are encouraged to reach out to the Wadesboro Police Department via phone (704) 694-2167 or by message through their Facebook page.
Reach Charles Wood at cwood@ansonrecord.com