14-year-old charged with murder after 10-year-old cousin shot and killed, NC cops say
A 14-year-old is charged with murder after a his younger cousin was shot and killed in North Carolina, officials said.
Now, a Rockingham County neighborhood and school district are mourning the death of the 10-year-old girl.
“She is someone’s child,” neighbor Gracie Reynolds told WFMY. “It hurts that this baby is not going to be here anymore. She had her whole life ahead of her.”
Reidsville police were called to a home at about 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8. While at the scene on Circle Drive, officers saw “several people running throughout the yard and it was a little chaotic,” Lt. Shannon Coates told WFMY.
Police discovered a girl had been shot in the head, and she was taken to a hospital, where she died, according to the TV station.
In response to McClatchy News’ request for comment, Rockingham County Schools shared a statement that said it was working with police in connection to the death of one of its fifth-grade students. The child attended South End Elementary School, roughly 25 miles northeast of Greensboro.
“We ask the public to keep the victim’s family along with the students, teachers and staff affected by this senseless tragedy in their thoughts and prayers,” the district wrote.
Police in a news release shared few details about how the shooting occurred but said the 14-year-old faced a first-degree murder charge after the Rockingham County District Attorney’s Office weighed in on the case. An investigation was ongoing as of Sept. 9.
“It’s just heartbreaking,” Reynolds told WXII.
The school district, which said the 14-year-old cousin wasn’t one of its students, offered counseling and crisis response resources after the girl’s death. It asked anyone with information to call police at 336-347-2338 or Crime Stoppers at 336-349-9683.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased,” officers wrote in their release. “Reidsville Police Chaplins would be honored to work with members of the victim’s family. We ask that any family member who is struggling with grief to reach out to our department. We will anonymously assist any family or friends through this grieving process.”
This story was originally published September 12, 2022 at 11:06 AM.
