ROCKINGHAM — Two young children were injured in an alleged accidental shooting at a Richmond County home on the evening of July 4, according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
The shooting happened just before 6 p.m. while four children were in the living room of a home under the care of their grandmother and two adult men. Investigators said the adults were preparing a meal when the children allegedly found a loaded firearm. One of the children discharged the weapon, striking a 5-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy, the sheriff’s office said.
Investigators arrested Ezekiel Nicre Tillman, 22, of Rockingham, in connection with the incident. He is charged with two counts of felony child abuse by willful act or omission showing reckless disregard and causing serious bodily or emotional injuries, along with one misdemeanor count of unlawful storage of a firearm to protect a minor.
The 5-year-old girl suffered life-threatening injuries and was flown to a trauma center after being stabilized at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital Richmond Emergency Department. The 3-year-old boy sustained what authorities described as a non-life-threatening isolated injury.
Tillman was processed at the Richmond County Jail without bond.
“We urge the community to remain vigilant and prioritize safety to prevent such incidents, said Sheriff Mark B. Gulledge in a media release.