A four year old boy is in stable condition at UNC Hospital after he was struck in the neck by gunfire in Cerro Gordo Monday.
The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office and State Bureau of Investigation are “all hands on deck” working on the case, Sheriff Bill Rogers said.
“This wasn’t someone involved in the shooting,” he said. “This was just a little kid.”
The child was riding through on the way to Fayetteville with his family when they passed through Cerro Gordo around 8:15 p.m. The boy was in his carseat when a burst of gunfire struck the vehicle.
The child’s grandmother was hit by broken glass, first responders said, but was not seriously injured.
Rogers said investigators spoke to the suspected target in the case, but witnesses either said they saw nothing or had “conflicting stories.”
The child is undergoing surgery for a bullet lodged between his neck and spine, Rogers said.
Residents reported hearing 30 to 40 shots around the time of the incident. Cerro Gordo fire and rescue personnel had just finished a meeting and were on the scene within minutes.
Rogers encouraged people with surveillance cameras to contact the CCSO if their footage shows anything that could help with the case.
“These folks were just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Rogers said. “It’s inexcusable. We hope someone will come forward with some information so we can make an arrest.”
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call 910.642.6551, or use the sheriff’s office app to make an anonymous tip.
