GASTONIA, N.C. — A child is facing serious injuries after a shooting at a Gastonia home Friday night, police said.
The Gastonia Police Department said it responded to a shots fired call just before 11:30 p.m. along West Fourth Avenue near West Garrison Boulevard.
"It was like 10 in a row -- pow, pow, pow, pow," Robert Knight, who lives in the neighborhood, said. "It could have been anyone, it could have been here. So it is just kind of shocking."
A 9-year-old was found inside the home with serious injuries, according to police. Investigators believe shots were fired outside of the home.
"I wouldn’t have thought this would have happened just one block from the house," Knight said. "We need to come together and do more about this shooting, and violence, do more community watch."
WCNC Charlotte was on scene during the incident where officers could be seen investigating the shooting.
No word on any suspects involved at this time, officers said.
On Monday, the community where the shooting took place, was quiet. A neighbor said there are kids all over the neighborhood. Many offered their thoughts and prayers to the family.
“If you’re not safe at home, where are you safe?"Finland Fair asked. "He wasn’t in the streets, he was at home."
Fair is the creator of 101 Black Men, a new group in Gastonia looking to tackle gun violence.
“There’s a different solution, another alternative to always shooting and the violence," Fair said.
The group helps children and teens in middle and high school by having conversations about ways to solve conflict, and care for themselves and the community. They recently held a march to promote peace, and they serve as lunch buddies and help read to students.
“This violence has to stop, because once you do a killing or somebody gets shot," Fair said. "Not only does it affect the victim, it affects your family too. It's more than the one person involved, it's everybody."
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to call Gastonia police at 704-861-8000.
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