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CMPD arrests 19-year-old in connection with shooting that seriously injured toddler

Just days after a 2-year-old was shot, police say more shots were fired at a west Charlotte apartment complex.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A 19-year-old was arrested in connection with a shooting at a west Charlotte apartment complex that seriously injured a 2-year-old over the weekend, police said. 

The shooting happened around 2 a.m. on Sunday. CMPD said someone opened fire in the parking lot, hitting multiple apartments. The 2-year-old was taken to the hospital after being shot in the stomach. As of Wednesday evening, the child was still hospitalized. 

A second shooting happened at the same complex just after 4 a.m. Tuesday on Evoke Living Lane, just off Wilkinson Boulevard in west Charlotte. It happened at the Evoke Living at Westerly Hills apartment complex. 

Detectives with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said no one was hit in the shooting. Multiple bullet holes were visible in the siding of one of the buildings. On Thursday, CMPD announced that 19-year-old Demetrick McDonald was arrested in connection with the first shooting. He was arrested on Wednesday and charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and 20 counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling. McDonald is currently being held in the Mecklenburg County jail. 

Then Thursday morning, Medic responded to a shooting on Babbling Brook Road, about a mile and a half away from the Evoke Living Apartments, and near Harding University High School. One person was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. 

Detectives haven't said if McDonald is connected to the second shooting at the apartments. 

Multiple people told WCNC Charlotte they're now ready to move after the violence, including the aunt of the toddler who was shot. 

"You don't feel safe in your own home," said the woman, who asked to be anonymous. "I don't bother anyone. I go to work and come home to my family, it doesn't have anything to do with me and I don't feel safe being there. So I'm in the process of trying to relocate myself." 

The woman said the family's grateful she's healing but believes more should've been done before it came to this. 

"She's still sedated and her healing process is going well," the girl's aunt said. "I'm just ready for her to be normal again. That's the only thing. I've complained about it before, but now that a child got hurt, something needs to be done about it."

RELATED: 4 killed, 3 hurt in Charlotte shootings over the weekend

Sunday's shooting was one of several in Charlotte, with police saying four different shootings killed four people and injured three others, including the 2-year-old. One neighbor said it's not uncommon to hear about adults being shot but a toddler being injured was devastating. 

"I'm scared to be over there by myself," the woman said. "It's just a lot going through my mind and I wanted to go there and pack some more but I can't do that, being there by myself." 

Anyone with information is asked to call Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. 

RELATED: 1 dead, 2 others hurt in shooting at southeast Charlotte rental

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