Police say "game" among high school students is tied to a series of drive-by shootings that killed a toddler.
A sleeping toddler was killed in his North Carolina bed in what police say is a "game dispute" between high school students that has unleashed a brazen series of drive-by shootings in suburban neighborhoods.
Three-year-old Asiah Fiquero died after 150 rounds were fired into his house late Tuesday in a cacophony of bullets captured by neighborhood doorbell cameras, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
The boy's 5-year-old sister was grazed by a round and is expected to survive. Asiah was shot in the head, his family said.
The deadly incident is one in a series of area shootings that police say are tied to a feud among students at three local high schools.
"This should outrage everyone who hears this," Charlotte Police Capt. Joel McNelly said at a news conference Wednesday. "What started out as teenage dispute games has turned into a deadly game that's now taken two lives," he said. Jaylen Xavier Foster, 16, was shot to death Sunday in Charlotte, and two other teenagers were wounded, authorities said. A 14-year-old boy was charged with murder in connection with the shooting, according to police. He was not identified because of his age.
On Tuesday, three homes were fired on in the same area. No one was injured, authorities said.
“This is a situation where we have a very young, innocent child who has been taken from the community due to the actions of some individuals who have demonstrated complete disregard for the welfare of their fellow human being,” said police Maj. Ryan Butler said.
Charlotte Mayor Li Lyles pleaded for the community's assistance.
"We need your help. Because I know we can't do it alone anymore," she said Wednesday. "These incidents that are taking place that result in the loss of the 3-year-old. It is because someone's not willing to tell us how to do better. How to stop it."
Charlotte police admonished high school parents to monitor their children's behavior, their cellphones, and their social media posts.
“Parents of kids at these high schools, what we need from you is we need you to be as outraged as we are about this,” said McNelly. “This is where your kids go to school, these are the people that your kids are around, and we need your help.
“You should know whether or not your children were at home the last few nights. If your children were not at home the last few nights, overnight, we need to know that,” he said.
Area high schools stepped up security this week and reinstated random searches for weapons, school district officials said.
Police said they have no suspects thus far.
Susie Whitley, Asiah's great-grandmother, said she was preparing to go to bed when the shooting started outside her house. There were 11 people inside at the time.
“I don’t know why this happened, I don't know what's going on,” Whitley told WSOC-TV. “I’m gonna miss my grandson, my great-grandson, so much. He was only three. He was just taken away. He was gonna have a birthday in December. But now that’s all gone.”
The gunfire lasted for more than 10 seconds.
"I told my grandson to get down on the floor, and I got on the floor. And by the time we got on the floor they shot a little more and then the shooting stopped,” Whitley said. “When I went upstairs, he (Asiah) was already passed away. I already knew that when I felt his neck, I already knew he was gone.
"They just shot up the house and killed my great-grandson," she said. "They tried to kill everybody up here, I do believe."
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