Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said they’ve made two arrests in the shooting of a 9-year-old girl and her 41-year-old mother.
On Monday, Christian K. Locklear, 21, and a 16-year-old Lumberton boy were arrested for their role in the violence that left the nine-year-old girl fighting for her life.
Locklear is charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, felony conspiracy and discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle.
The 41-year-old woman and her 9-year-old daughter were shot Saturday night while traveling in their vehicle on Moss Neck Road near Pembroke, according to Wilkins.
Family members said the she and her mom were driving away from a Wal Mart parking lot when bullets flew in their direction.
The girl's grandmother, Regina Maldonado, told ABC15 what she heard when it happened.
"It's the worst news you can get. We actually didn't know what was going on. All I can hear was my granddaughter and my daughter hollering and screaming," said Maldonado. "It's the worst news you can get. We actually didn't know what was going on. All I can hear was my granddaughter and my daughter hollering and screaming."
She said she saw her granddaughter covered in blood and calling for help.
It was determined her granddaughter was shot three times in the back and lost some use of her body on the right side, Maldonado said.
"I love my grandbabies more than anything in this world other than Jesus," said Maldonado. "Just keep us in prayer. They say pray goes along ways and it does."
Maldonado said the young girl is at a hospital in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and she was taken off of a ventilator Sunday afternoon.
She added the area has had shootings before and something needs to be done about it.
The mother was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to Sheriff Wilkins.
Investigators are also still searching for two other juveniles who have been charged in the case.
Locklear was placed in the custody of the Robeson County Detention Center under a $1.5 million secured bond.
Police ask anyone with information to please contact the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office at (910) 671-3170 or (910) 671-3100.