SHELBY, N.C. — Three people are dead after a chase that began in South Carolina ended with a crash in Shelby overnight Sunday, deputies said.
The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office said it responded to a call about a shooting on Bridges Road in Blacksburg just before 1 a.m.
The caller, who was in a Dodge Charger, indicated a white pickup truck was following them and shooting at the car, deputies said.
Around 1:10 a.m., the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office received a 911 transfer call related to the incident, with the caller indicating she was a passenger in the car that had been shot at.
The Dodge continued driving into North Carolina with the white pickup still behind shooting at them in the Patterson Springs area on N.C. Highway 180 South, deputies said.
The sheriff's office shared 911 calls from the woman asking for help and said her family was trying to get away from someone in a white pickup truck.
“They are shooting again,” she said. “Please hurry.”
She is heard crying throughout the call. She described approaching a red light and the dispatcher advised her not to stop. She said there were 5 people altogether in her car, including her three daughters.
The family was able to get to a safe place. During the call, the dispatcher tried to calm the woman down until a deputy could get to her, and her family. The 18-year-old daughter then got on the phone with the dispatcher and described a large bullet hole on the passenger side of the car, a couple of inches from the back tire. She adds the back passenger window was also shattered but everyone was okay.
Deputies found the vehicles driving along Earl Road at U.S. 74 and attempted to stop the suspects at the intersection. The suspects fled by running the red light, and driving on U.S. 74 westbound, then turning right onto Dekalb Street. The suspects then accelerated and turned off their headlights, deputies said.
Deputies momentarily lost sight of the suspect's vehicle, but soon after found it had crashed into a home at the intersection of Dekalb Street and Suttle Street.
The Shelby Police Department later confirmed that three victims, including two 20-year-olds, Keandre Kirkland and Fabian Crosby. The third,18-year-old, Elijah Priester died in the crash.
There were six people in the vehicle at the time of the crash, all between the ages of 15 and 20, police said. The other three were taken to the hospital. Shelby police said one of them is in critical condition.
The mother of Fabian Crosby, Latoya Byers said she is devasted by the loss. She adds Crosby was always happy, full of life, and passionate about sharing his love for horses.
“Fabian was a loving outgoing spontaneous person, he loved outside and he loved animals,” said Byers. “A true cowboy... boots, pants, hat, and horses. He was on it.”
Curtis Thompson said many of the boys involved in the crash were passionate about horses and he even rode with many of them through his group Trailbred Riderz.
"They had a bright future," said Thompson. You know, it's really taken a toll on a lot of us right here in the city of Charlotte, surrounding areas, and the horse community."
Leaving some loved ones with many questions about what took place on this tragic Mother's Day.
"I'm a grieving mother and I would like to know exactly what happened with my son," said Byers. "He was my baby, he was my last... and that is something that a mother should never have to go through and my heart is in shambles right now."
Tawanna Petty is the aunt of Kirkland who died in the crash she said this is not a time for hate but a time for everyone to come together to cover all the families impacted by the tragic incident.
"It's a devastating accident for the city that we live in because they were so young," said Petty. "They touched the community with just their smiling grace. You would see them everywhere together, horse-playing, giggling... so it is a tragedy to us because we know them one way and the world knows them as someone else. But no one deserves this."
India Lee said Kirkland was like a son to her. She was quickly on the scene when the crash happened and said she too has many questions about what happened.
"It woke me up... slammed out of my sleep," said Lee. "I'm hurt, I'm devasted and more concerned about the parents because there is so much negativity going around and there is a lot of people who were not there."
Cleveland County deputies believe the suspects were attempting to kill the passengers in the Dodge Charger, though one in the car was injured during the incident.
WCNC Charlotte has reached out to the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office and Shelby Police Department for more information.
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