UNION COUNTY, N.C. — The search for those responsible for sending a Union County teen to the hospital continues after deputies say the young man was shot multiple times.
Investigators said the shooting happened around 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Bobwhite Circle and Canary Court near Wingate when the teen approached a car and someone inside that car opened fire.
Officials are now looking for a dark gray Honda Civic with a missing hubcap.
“The police just kept coming, kept coming, kept coming," Christopher Tyson, who lives nearby, said. "I'm still shocked about it because the very guy that got shot, he goes up and down this road all the time, back and forth to school.”
“They ought to think twice before they do these things because you mess up your life," Matthew Smith, another neighbor, said.
It's not just this case that's drawing the attention of Union County law enforcement. Investigators say crime involving young people is up overall -- an issue seen in Mecklenburg County and elsewhere around the nation.
"Whether it be gun violence, whether it be theft, whether it be car theft," Lt. James Maye with the Union County Sheriff's Office said. "Between traffic stops, patrols in local neighborhoods, we like to get out and try to interact with juveniles, try to reach them before they get connected to a bad group and make bad decisions."
They're hoping to see stricter penalties and more parental involvement, as another neighborhood is left in fear.
“I'm scared of teenagers," Tyson said. "Because you never know if they’re packing. You never know what they got going on. Never Know.”
The investigation is still active. Those with information are asked to contact the Union County Sheriff's Office.
Contact Kayland Hagwood at khagwood@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.